House Speaker Mike Johnson on Tuesday said President Biden “can’t be trusted” on the border, further complicating negotiations on a national security spending deal.

Mr. Johnson was responding to Vice President Kamala Harris, who said the answer to the border chaos is to spend more money processing the newcomers and to offer those already here illegally a chance at citizenship.

“This answer from President Biden’s border czar is exactly why the administration can’t be trusted to solve the catastrophe they, themselves, created,” Mr. Johnson said. “Their idea is to attract millions more aliens, cause more pain and further surrender America’s national and economic security.”

He is staking out a firm pro-enforcement position on immigration as Congress works on the national security spending bill.

Republicans have said they can’t support more than $60 billion in assistance for Ukraine’s war against Russia without significant changes to improve the U.S. border with Mexico.

Democratic and Republican senators are negotiating over border changes. But terms of the deal that leaked have been met with derision from House Republicans who say they will reject it.

A major sticking point is that whatever deal is reached would be left to the Biden administration to carry out — and Mr. Johnson has no faith in the president with that sort of flexibility.

Ms. Harris underscored the gap between the administration and House Republicans in her CNN interview. Asked how to fix the border, she said the goal is to “process” the newcomers better while offering a “meaningful” legal status to current illegal immigrants.

“Sadly, people on the other side of the aisle have been playing politics with this issue,” Ms. Harris said.

• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.