Democratic rifts surface amidst Senate vote on border bill while the White House seeks to elevate pressure on Republicans.
With immigration issues dominating public discourse, the White House and key Democratic politicians have held discussions surrounding potential strategies for strengthening their stance on border security prior to the upcoming presidential debate. Sources report that one topic was the resurrection of a previously stalled border security proposal, which initially faltered after Donald Trump instructed GOP lawmakers to dismantle it.
Democrats have employed this failed bill as evidence that Republicans are not genuinely interested in resolving border issues and will intensify this accusation further after it is anticipated to fail a second time. However, without the inclusion of Ukraine-related elements, certain Democrats and immigration advocates consider this initiative politically motivated and express reservations about certain components of the legislation. This dynamic could potentially disrupt the messaging efforts of both the Democrats and the White House.
"I will not support the bill coming to the Senate floor this week because it contains provisions that violate American values," New Jersey Senator Cory Booker shared in a statement on Tuesday. Booker had previously voted to advance the bill when it was initially rejected with a 49-50 tally. In his statement, Booker highlighted that, at the time, the bill included "critical foreign and humanitarian aid" as well.
Republicans have downplayed this vote as a maneuver by vulnerable Democrats to obtain political protection regarding a vital national issue before the November elections.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer admitted that not every Democrat would vote for the bill during a letter to colleagues, acknowledging that reaching the required 60 votes to thwart a GOP filibuster is challenging. Democrats own 51 total votes and the majority of Republicans have already indicated their intention to vote against the endeavor.
A discussion on the border bill was held during Democrats' private lunch gathering on Tuesday as members debated the merits of pursuing a bill that has already failed in the Senate. A source present confided in CNN that the majority were in support, but some holdouts were present.
Senator Alex Padilla, who had opposed the bill the first time around, confirmed that he will vote against it when it is brought to the floor on Thursday.
"It's also noteworthy that the last time we were here, many mentioned this was the negotiated sum they were willing to concede for the purpose of Ukraine funding," Padilla stated. "That situation has now changed, but we still need to address the border. This legislation should not signify the Democratic starting point for border security."
Despite criticisms from progressives, Senator Mark Warner of Virginia affirmed the bipartisan nature of the bill.
"The fact that some of our most progressive members don't vote for it in my mind shows that it's a truly bipartisan, tough piece of legislation," Warner asserted.
In the event the bill is passed, it would mark one of the most substantial modifications to US immigration law in years. Highlights of the measure include the introduction of a new emergency authority to limit border crossings if daily migrant encounters cross a defined threshold, raising the legal evidence requirement for initial asylum screening, and expediting the asylum processing timeline, among other provisions.
Most Republicans view this vote as a Democrats' messaging attempt. Nonetheless, Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, who had supported the legislation previously, hinted that she may vote in favor of the bill again, despite her previous frustration with the process.
“If the bill was good enough for me to vote for the first time, what changed?” Murkowski questioned. “Explain to an outside observer what's going on here. They conclude that we've lost our minds.”
In contradiction, Republican Senator James Lankford, a key figure in the negotiations, announced his intention to vote against the proposal on Thursday. “It's no longer a bill. It's a prop,” remarked Lankford during an interview with CNN's Kaitlan Collins on Tuesday.
Democrats have attempted to shift the accountability for border security inadequacies onto the Republicans, focusing on their decision to abandon a measure which limited the ability of migrants to seek asylum at the US southern border, among other restrictions.
This tactic proved successful in New York's 3rd Congressional District when Democratic Rep. Tom Suozzi took an offensive approach on immigration and won the seat in February.
The lack of foreign aid and the incorporation of what some immigration advocates deem as stringent policies have heightened the criticism.
"It is abhorrent and profoundly dismaying that Senator Murphy champions these policies that won't work and for Leader Schumer, the senator from the home of the Statue of Liberty, feels the need to push for this vote,” Robyn Barnard, a senior director of refugee advocacy at Human Rights First, told CNN.
“The American public were originally told that these hardline policies were necessary to secure Ukraine funding in early 2022. Why is Congress now leaning towards adopting anti-immigrant policies?" Barnard asked.
The mounting pressure on Congress underscores the administration's limited capacity to impact the situation in the immediate future.
"We recognize that there are limitations to what any administration can execute in this realm with executive action,” a senior administration official said. "What we genuinely require is for Congress to fulfill their role and enact the Senate bipartisan border security legislation."
High-ranking government officials are preparing for a probable increase in border crossings this summer, similar to past years, and are implementing various policies to discourage immigrants from heading to the US and reassure hesitant voters that they're taking steps to secure the border.
One of these senior officials stated, "All the factors driving this unparalleled migration of people around the globe remain in place, and we're staying extra cautious and working hard to implement policies that can lessen the strain on our borders."
Officials are contemplating announcing a border executive action, as per sources, who mentioned that one of the options is to unveil it shortly after Mexico's election in June and before the initial presidential debate.
This effort is part of a broader approach by Democrats to showcase their strategy and calm concerns about immigration.
"The polling we've seen shows that people tend to agree with our strongest, bipartisan border bill in decades when they understand it. This change of perspective might boost support for Democrats in terms of border security," stated Sen. Brian Schatz from Hawaii, a Democrat.
"The bill is solid, and it deserves attention. After all, it's part of our duty," added Sen. Angus King from Maine, an independent who associates with the Democratic party.
CNN's Sam Fossum collaborated on this article.
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Source: edition.cnn.com
