“A little-noticed social media post last week featured a lament from Sen. James Lankford (R-OK), the GOP’s lead negotiator on a potential immigration deal,” the Washington Post reports.
Wrote Lankford: “Only in Washington is our southern border political gamesmanship instead of a national security crisis.”
“It wasn’t clear whom Lankford was accusing of political gamesmanship. But it came amid a growing push from the right wing of his party, Donald Trump and his allies to kill a promising potential deal.”
“And a week later, Republicans have done a great job confirming that they won’t do anything on the border for one big reason: political expediency.”
New York Times: “Mr. Trump has encouraged Republicans to reject any border deal ‘unless we get EVERYTHING’ the party has demanded, fueling the opposition of Republican lawmakers who have argued that the bipartisan proposal, which includes measures to increase deportations and make it more difficult to claim asylum, doesn’t go far enough.”
