Republicans to Change Border Bill They Just Crafted

Republican Senator James Lankford said on Tuesday that members of his party are likely to change aspects of the border security bill they crafted.

While appearing on Fox Business Network's Mornings with Maria, Lankford, who led negotiations on the bipartisan border deal, was asked if Democrat Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer would allow Republicans to propose amendments to the bill.

"We have to have amendments," Lankford said. "There are parts that need to be fixed. This is a negotiated agreement, but we have demanded there have to be amendments on this bill."

Newsweek reached out to Schumer's office via email for comment.

The context:

Over the weekend, the text of a bipartisan border security deal was released, sparking backlash from many Republicans who disagreed with portions of the bill. The bill seeks to increase border security and allow for the border to be closed if 5,000 illegal migrant crossings are reported in seven consecutive days.

"There is a 0% chance this failed border bill will pass the House. It effectively normalizes 5,000 illegal aliens crossing the border per day—more than 1.8 million per year," Senator Ted Cruz, a Republican from Texas, said on X, formerly Twitter.

What we know:

During his Mornings with Maria appearance, Lankford spoke about criticism the bill has received and how it compares to H.R. 2, which House Republicans previously proposed.

"Unfortunately, they got zero votes for it in the House of Representatives on the Democrat side, we got zero votes for it on the Democrat side in the Senate," Lankford said about H.R. 2. "So, we got to figure out, are we gonna just look at this and say 'we gotta have the perfect bill or are we gonna make some real progress.' This bill is focused on what can we do right now."

Newsweek reached out to Lankford's office via email for comment.

Views:

Shortly after the text of the bill was released, House Republicans, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, criticized it and said it would likely not pass.

"House Republicans oppose the Senate immigration bill because it fails in every policy area needed to secure our border and would actually incentivize more illegal immigration," Johnson, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, House Majority Whip Tom Emmer and New York Representative Elise Stefanik said in a joint statement.

"Any consideration of this Senate bill in its current form is a waste of time. It is DEAD on arrival in the House. We encourage the U.S. Senate to reject it," the statement said.

What's next:

As Lankford noted, Republicans are likely to propose amendments to the bill when negotiations begin in the coming days. However, many Republican senators have already expressed that they are either planning to vote against the bill or are unsure where they currently stand on their vote.

Thune said there is "very real concern" about a vote to negotiate on the bill this week, Politico reported, and that it may be "too early" for many GOP senators, who believe they need more time to review the bill.

Update 2/6/24, 7:56 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.

Update 2/6/24, 8:15 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information and to reflect that Newsweek reached out to Lankford and Schumer for comments.