(TheRedWire.com) – President Biden recently expressed his view that the Republican party had sidelined Senator James Lankford (R-Okla.) after they defeated a border security bill he was instrumental in developing.
During a fundraiser in New York City, Biden remarked on the situation, saying, “They really threw the man overboard.”
This comment follows Biden’s previous statements attributing the collapse of a bipartisan immigration agreement to former President Trump, whom he accused of undermining the deal to avoid giving Biden a political victory. According to Biden, Trump actively dissuaded Republicans from supporting the bill by warning of political consequences.
On the same day, Senate Republicans halted a motion to discuss a national security bill, which proposed $20 billion for border security enhancements. This bill aimed to provide temporary powers to expel migrants under certain conditions, cease the policy of “catch and release,” elevate asylum screening criteria, and expedite claim processing, among other measures.
Additionally, the bill sought to allocate $60 billion for Ukraine amid its conflict with Russia, $14.1 billion for Israel in its struggle against Hamas, and support for Indo-Pacific allies, reflecting a proposal previously submitted to Congress by the White House.
Senators Lankford, Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), and Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) were at the forefront of this legislative initiative. Lankford criticized his Republican colleagues for their inaction on border issues, particularly in light of what he described as the worst month in American history for border crossings in December.
The bill had endorsements from entities like the National Border Patrol Council — a union that supported Trump in the 2020 election — and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
However, Trump, anticipated to be the GOP’s nominee in the upcoming November election, advised Republicans against the bill, claiming it would pose political risks for the party. Consequently, many GOP members opposed the bill, some arguing it was insufficient in addressing immigration concerns.
Democrats have been arguing that Congressional Republicans are avoiding any compromise on border issues, viewing it as a potential electoral advantage for Biden. Trump has consistently criticized Biden over migrant flows at the southern border, and polls indicate that voters tend to trust Trump more on immigration and border issues.
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