Republicans in the Senate Reject Border Security Legislation

Senate Republicans have come together to block a bipartisan border security deal that had previously received support from many.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., intends to conduct a vote on the bill on Thursday, but no Republican senators have indicated their support, as reported by The Hill. The bill had received endorsement from the National Border Council and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., deemed Schumer’s plan a tactic and informed President Joe Biden that the GOP would not be voting for it. McConnell had previously described the bill as a “major achievement,” according to the report.

“I told him,” McConnell conveyed to The Hill, “‘Mr. President, you are the reason for this issue. There is no legislation that addresses the problem. Why not allow what the previous administration was doing.'”

Senator James Lankford, R-Okla., who had negotiated the bill and voted for it back in February, remarked that the vote was merely a performance intended to safeguard vulnerable Senate Democrats facing reelection.

“This is not about accomplishing anything,” Lankford stated. “This is all about theatrics. This is an attempt to provoke Republicans rather than genuinely address the issue.”

The proposed legislation aimed to overhaul the nation’s asylum laws and grant the president the authority to close the border if migrant crossings reach an average of 4,000 per day.

Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Mitt Romney, R-Utah – who had backed the bill in February – divulged to The Hill that they were undecided on their voting stance.

Schumer accused the Republicans of succumbing to former President Donald Trump’s influence, who had opposed the bill, insinuating that Trump seeks to capitalize on the border matter in the upcoming presidential election.

“This is the same bipartisan bill that Republicans were advocating for, then backtracked upon receiving directives from President Trump, took a complete U-turn, and voted against it,” Schumer asserted to The Hill.

Senator Alex Padilla, D-Calif., affirmed his opposition to the bill. Padilla had also opposed the bill in February due to its lack of provisions for aiding migrants.