www.washingtonpost.com
Open in
urlscan Pro
184.28.207.181
Public Scan
URL:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/01/19/immigration-border-deal-republicans-johnson-trump/
Submission: On January 19 via manual from US — Scanned from US
Submission: On January 19 via manual from US — Scanned from US
Form analysis 1 forms found in the DOM
<form class="w-100 left" id="registration-form" data-qa="regwall-registration-form-container">
<div>
<div class="wpds-c-giPdwp wpds-c-giPdwp-iPJLV-css">
<div class="wpds-c-iQOSPq"><span role="label" id="radix-0" class="wpds-c-hdyOns wpds-c-iJWmNK">Enter email address</span><input id="registration-email-id" type="text" aria-invalid="false" name="registration-email"
data-qa="regwall-registration-form-email-input" data-private="true" class="wpds-c-djFMBQ wpds-c-djFMBQ-iPJLV-css" value="" aria-labelledby="radix-0"></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="dn">
<div class="db mt-xs mb-xs "><span role="label" id="radix-1" class="wpds-c-hdyOns"><span class="db font-xxxs gray-darker pt-xxs pb-xxs gray-dark" style="padding-top: 1px;"><span>By selecting "Start reading," you agree to The Washington Post's
<a target="_blank" style="color:inherit;" class="underline" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/information/2022/01/01/terms-of-service/">Terms of Service</a> and
<a target="_blank" style="color:inherit;" class="underline" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/privacy-policy/">Privacy Policy</a>.</span></span></span></div>
</div>
<div id="subs-turnstile-hook" class="center dn"></div><button data-qa="regwall-registration-form-cta-button" type="submit"
class="wpds-c-kSOqLF wpds-c-kSOqLF-kXPmWT-variant-cta wpds-c-kSOqLF-eHdizY-density-default wpds-c-kSOqLF-ejCoEP-icon-left wpds-c-kSOqLF-ikFyhzm-css w-100 mt-sm"><span>Start reading</span></button>
</form>Text Content
Accessibility statementSkip to main content Democracy Dies in Darkness SubscribeSign in Close The Washington PostDemocracy Dies in Darkness OpinionsColumns Editorials Guest opinions Cartoons Submit a guest opinion Today's Opinions newsletter OpinionsColumns Editorials Guest opinions Cartoons Submit a guest opinion Today's Opinions newsletter OPINION HOUSE REPUBLICANS TRY TO BLOW UP THE BORDER DEAL THEY CLAIM TO WANT By Catherine Rampell Columnist|AddFollow January 19, 2024 at 8:00 a.m. EST House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) speaks to journalists outside the White House on Wednesday after meeting with President Biden. (Susan Walsh/AP) Listen 5 min Share Comment on this storyComment Add to your saved stories Save Crisis! Invasion! A national security and humanitarian catastrophe! GOP politicians have been shrieking about the U.S.-Mexico border since President Biden took office. Yet when offered the chance to beef up security there, House Republicans refuse. WpGet the full experience.Choose your planArrowRight It’s an election year, after all. And when it comes to immigration, the problem is much more valuable than its cure. Southwest border encounters have been rising in recent months, and cities across the country have struggled to manage an influx of desperate migrants not legally allowed to work and support themselves. Over in the Senate, lawmakers have been hashing out a bipartisan deal to address the issue. Story continues below advertisement From what we know about the deal so far, there’s much to find objectionable, including attempts to hamstring the asylum and humanitarian parole systems. Which is unsurprising, given that it’s being pushed by Republican hard-liners such as Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.), James Lankford (Okla.) and Lindsey Graham (S.C.). Advertisement But whatever ends up in this evolving deal, GOP House lawmakers have already preemptively rejected it. Follow this authorCatherine Rampell's opinions Follow Speaker Mike Johnson (La.) and other GOP House leaders have said that anything less than H.R. 2 — a draconian messaging bill that could never pass the Democratic-controlled Senate — would be “dead” in their chamber. Yet during a news conference Wednesday, Johnson suggested the Senate deal might also be too broad. “I don’t think now is the time for comprehensive immigration reform,” he said. Story continues below advertisement Got that? The Senate deal will do too little and too much. If that critique sounds incoherent, that’s because it is. The real aim of House leadership might be not to push negotiations in any particular direction but to blow them up entirely. In a conference call this week, Johnson told his colleagues that Congress cannot solve the border crisis until Donald Trump or another Republican is president again, Punchbowl News reported. Which seems to give the game away: Rather than resolve a telegenic crisis, Republicans apparently plan to keep it going to mobilize their base ahead of the election. Advertisement “After congressional Republicans spent years elevating the border crisis, calling it an invasion and rightfully pushing for immediate action, the House Republican position is now basically ‘Let’s wait for Trump’ — even though he may not get elected and definitely couldn’t pass a border bill,” an unnamed Senate Republican aide told Punchbowl. Story continues below advertisement Other GOP officials have said as much on the record, too. “There are some that are saying, ‘Hey, we don’t want Biden to actually get credit for doing anything on the border, because obviously, he’s made a huge mess,’” said Lankford, the lead Republican negotiator in the Senate. Trump is similarly urging his congressional acolytes to hold the line. As he wrote on his platform Truth Social, “I do not think we should do a Border Deal, at all, unless we get EVERYTHING needed to shut down the INVASION of Millions & Millions of people, many from parts unknown, into our once great, but soon to be great again, Country!” Advertisement If you think Trump and others could genuinely push through “tougher” policy with control of the White House, think again. Story continues below advertisement Many voters might not realize this, but any seasoned politician knows that an immigration bill like this would need 60 votes to advance in the Senate, which means it would require at least a few votes from Democrats. This would be a high hurdle for any hard-line border bill, but Republicans have unusually strong leverage right now because Biden and other Democrats are eager to neutralize the border as a campaign issue. They are also anxious to pass more Ukraine aid (which would be bundled in this bill). If Congress instead were to wait for a Republican to return to the White House to craft a bill, Democrats would likely withhold their votes to extract significant concessions on progressive priorities (such as a pathway to citizenship for “dreamers,” undocumented immigrants largely brought here as children). Advertisement This will likely be the dynamic even if Republicans end up controlling the presidency and both chambers of Congress, since Republicans probably can’t win 60 Senate seats. Story continues below advertisement Don’t take my word for it. McConnell and his frustrated GOP Senate colleagues have laid out this political logic themselves. As Graham said Wednesday in a news conference, “To those who think that if President Trump wins, which I hope he does, that we can get a better deal: You won’t. You gotta get 60 votes in the United States Senate.” If House Republicans actually cared about alleviating strain at the border, there is plenty they could throw their support behind. They could, for instance, create more legal pathways to come to the United States so that people don’t show up at the border unannounced and unvetted. Or lawmakers could devote more resources to border operations and the asylum system so that cases can be adjudicated more swiftly. But when there’s no will, there’s no way. Share 500 Comments Popular opinions articles HAND CURATED * Opinion|Age makes the miracles easier to see January 17, 2024 Opinion|Age makes the miracles easier to see January 17, 2024 * Opinion|Trump’s coronation officially gets underway January 15, 2024 Opinion|Trump’s coronation officially gets underway January 15, 2024 * Opinion|The last remnants of the Republican Party died in Iowa January 15, 2024 Opinion|The last remnants of the Republican Party died in Iowa January 15, 2024 View 3 more stories Loading... Subscribe to comment and get the full experience. Choose your plan → Advertisement TOP STORIES World news Essential reporting from around the world The Crown broke a promise to First Nations. It could now owe billions. Former flight attendant to become first woman to lead Japan Airlines Opinion|Ecuador’s foreign minister: We had chaos. We need international support. Refresh Try a different topic Sign in or create a free account to save your preferences Advertisement Advertisement Company About The Post Newsroom Policies & Standards Diversity & Inclusion Careers Media & Community Relations WP Creative Group Accessibility Statement Sitemap Get The Post Become a Subscriber Gift Subscriptions Mobile & Apps Newsletters & Alerts Washington Post Live Reprints & Permissions Post Store Books & E-Books Print Archives (Subscribers Only) Today’s Paper Public Notices Coupons Contact Us Contact the Newsroom Contact Customer Care Contact the Opinions Team Advertise Licensing & Syndication Request a Correction Send a News Tip Report a Vulnerability Terms of Use Digital Products Terms of Sale Print Products Terms of Sale Terms of Service Privacy Policy Cookie Settings Submissions & Discussion Policy RSS Terms of Service Ad Choices washingtonpost.com © 1996-2024 The Washington Post * washingtonpost.com * © 1996-2024 The Washington Post * About The Post * Contact the Newsroom * Contact Customer Care * Request a Correction * Send a News Tip * Report a Vulnerability * Download the Washington Post App * Policies & Standards * Terms of Service * Privacy Policy * Cookie Settings * Print Products Terms of Sale * Digital Products Terms of Sale * Submissions & Discussion Policy * RSS Terms of Service * Ad Choices * Coupons 5.8.4 Already have an account? Sign in -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TWO WAYS TO READ THIS ARTICLE: Create an account or sign in Free * Access this article Enter email address By selecting "Start reading," you agree to The Washington Post's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Start reading Subscribe $4every 4 weeks * Unlimited access to all articles * Save stories to read later Subscribe