Texas Republican Says ‘Fetterman Can Wear Whatever He Wants’ Now That He’s Come Out In Favor of HR-2
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Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) told Fox News congressional correspondent Chad Pergram on Thursday he was open to most of what is in House Republicans’ border security bill known as HR-2.
Fetterman’s support for the bill, which he qualified with some exceptions, drew praise from hardline Republican Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX). Pergram spoke to Roy, who told him, “The new and improved Fetterman can wear whatever he wants, if he keeps talking like that…I’m glad to see him talking about ‘hey, there’s some provisions in HR 2 that would actually do the job.’” Roy’s praise referred to the longstanding criticism of Fetterman by Republicans over the senator regularly wearing shorts and a hoodie.
Pergram detailed his conversation with Fetterman, who also received widespread praise on Wednesday for condemning the “recreational cruelty” aimed at MAGA Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) following the arrest of her teenage son following a petty theft crime spree.
Pergram summed up his conversation with Fetterman, writing that the Pennsylvania Democrat said “he is for most of HR2 except portion which ends DACA. Says he wants a “grand bargain” on border security, linked to international aid. Says he wants something “stronger” than the bipartisan bill which blew up earlier this winter.”
“We have to up the proof on that a little bit. A little stiffer..kind of a drink on that..as a Democrat, you know, and am willing and eager to go stronger than the border deal that was here,” Fetterman said regarding the criteria for migrants applying for asylum.
“My only kill switch on that is DACA. You know, DACA must be protected. But the rest can be on the table,” he added.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jefferies (D-NY) also spoke to Pergram about HR-2. “HR2 is not a serious legislative proposal, and extreme MAGA. Republicans have repeatedly demonstrated that they are unserious about addressing the challenges at the border and fixing our broken immigration system,” Jeffries claimed.
In January, The Hill described the bill as a measure that “would drastically restrict the asylum process while establishing a vast new surveillance system to forcibly freeze regional migration and crack down on the existing undocumented population.”
