White House won’t commit to Biden meeting with GOP on border bill despite demands

President Joe Biden will not heed Republican calls for a meeting over immigration reform, the White House said Thursday.

The Senate has shot down a spending deal for Ukraine and Israel aid over border funding, with several Republicans calling to meet with Biden in order to get the situation resolved.

HOUSE VOTES TO REPEAL BIDEN’S INCOME-DRIVEN REPAYMENT REGULATION

But that won’t be happening, according to press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. She has repeatedly pointed to an immigration reform package Biden released on his first day in office but said in response to a question from the Washington Examiner that he won’t meet with Republicans to discuss it.

“It has been almost three years. It’s a comprehensive. Lawmakers are on the Hill. They know how to read a bill,” she told the Washington Examiner. “They have had multiple conversations from our side here. Our legislative affairs office has met with members of Congress. The first thing that this president did was put forth a piece of legislation, and it was on immigration. If anything, that should show how committed he is to that issue.”

When pressed again on whether that commitment could extend to an in-person meeting to discuss the bill’s merits, Jean-Pierre said the question was “missing the point” and accused Republicans of putting forth “extreme, extreme, extreme” bills.

A group of Republican senators held a Thursday afternoon press conference during which they called for Biden to get involved in order to get the national security funding passed. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) even said a deal could not be reached without the president.

“It’s never going to happen as long as [Senate Majority Leader Chuck] Schumer (D-NY) is in charge of these negotiations,” Graham said. “We’re going to have to get the president of the United States involved.”

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Despite Jean-Pierre’s protestations about Republicans, Biden doesn’t appear to be meeting with Democratic leaders about immigration either. New York City Mayor Eric Adams is meeting with congressional Democrats to talk about the impact of immigrants on his city, a discussion that reportedly won’t include the White House.

“I don’t have any meetings to read out about Eric Adams meeting with anyone here,” Jean-Pierre said when asked if Biden would meet with Adams. “I would have to check in. I don’t have anything.”