An Indiana senator tweeted four words about the 'dead' border bill. It didn't go over well

A social media post by Republican U.S. Senator Mike Braun raised a few eyebrows for a comment he made about a blocked bipartisan bill that sought to address the growing immigration crisis along the southern border.

Calling the bill "dead in the water," social media users pounced on Braun's words — some saying it was "a horrible choice of words" given the recent drownings that have left migrants dead after trying to cross the Rio Grande.

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Braun and other GOP lawmakers are opposed to the $118 billion bipartisan bill

On Tuesday, Braun, who is running to be Indiana's next governor, shared a FOX News story detailing GOP lawmaker's opposition to a $118 billion spending bill that would have given President Joe Biden authority to quickly expel migrants entering the country illegally. Among other provisions, the 370-page bill also would have helped fund military operations in Israel and Ukraine.

Braun and other Republican leaders have panned the legislation, saying it would fail to secure the border and would "incentivize more illegal immigration."

On Wednesday, Braun released a prepared statement saying that he couldn't support a bill "that gives $100 billion of borrowed money to foreign countries for their borders but doesn't fully secure our own."

The U.S.-Mexico border has been a flashpoint of contention between state and federal leaders ahead of the 2024 elections, with Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott erecting floating barriers of razor-wire to deter an influx of migrants trying to cross the Rio Grande.

Dozens of migrants, men, women and children, have drowned seeking asylum in Texas. As late as mid-January, authorities pulled the bodies of Victerma de la Sancha Cerros, 33, her daughter, Yorlei Rubi, 10, and son, Jonathan Agustín, 8, out of the water after the Mexican family died trying to swim across the river near Eagle Pass.

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What did Senator Mike Braun say on social media?

On Tuesday, Braun posted to X that the bipartisan bill seeking a solution to the immigration crisis was "dead in the water."

While the expression is a common enough phrase Washington lawmakers have used to describe unfavorable legislation, Braun's words were met with clapback from critics who appeared to find it in poor taste.

It's not the first time the Indiana senator's words have stirred controversy. After an interview in May 2022, Braun had to walk back comments when he said the decision to allow interracial marriage should have been left to the states.

IndyStar reached out to officials connected with Braun's current political campaign for more clarification, but received no further reply before this article's publication.

How did people react on X (formerly Twitter)?

In the same social media post, supporters applauded Braun's choice not to support the bill

Who is Indiana Senator Mike Braun?

Braun began serving the Indiana state legislature in 2014. He was first elected to the Senate after defeating incumbent Democrat Joe Donnelly in 2018, winning a divisive primary against two sitting congressmen at the time: Luke Messer and now current state Attorney General Todd Rokita.

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John Tufts covers trending news for the Indianapolis Star. Send him a news tip at JTufts@Gannett.com. IndyStar reporter Brittany Carloni contributed to this article.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Social media post from U.S. Senator Mike Braun draws ire on X