Senate Border Talks: Key Negotiator Defends Bipartisan Bill Amid GOP Criticism

Key negotiator James Lankford, who is involved in a bipartisan bill amid border talks, is facing criticism from GOP lawmakers.

On Saturday, the Oklahoma Republican Party approved a resolution condemning and censuring Lankford for his role as chief negotiator for Democrats and Republicans. The resolution by state Sen. Dusty Deevers argued that Lankford was playing fast and loose with the left on the country's border policy.

Border Policy Negotiations

(Photo : Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
Key border policy negotiator Sen. James Lankford defended a new bipartisan bill amid a wave of Republican opposition

It added that Lankford's efforts not only disfranchise legal immigrants who are seeking citizenship but also put the safety and security of Americans in greater danger. For weeks, Senate negotiators have been working on a compromise on border and immigration policy that seeks to address the rising number of immigrants who come across the United States border with Mexico.

The resolution stated that authorizing several thousand people to invade the country's borders before any action can be taken goes against the oath that Lankford took to the Constitution. It noted that therefore, it was outside of the area that he is authorized to negotiate in, as per The Hill.

It comes as some parameters of the deal being reported include a provision that would shut down the border after 5,000 migrants have come through. Over the weekend, United States President Joe Biden took the remarkable step of declaring that he had the authority to shut the border down and would enforce such once a bill was signed.

On Sunday, Lankford defended his work on the border talks but was not asked about the resolution against him. He said that four months ago, Republicans would not give funding for Ukraine, for Israel, and for the southern border amid demands for a change in policy.

However, now that they are cooperating to work on such a process, those who were critical of the stagnant border policy suddenly reversed. He said that they now do not want a change in law because of the presidential election year.

Republican Opposition

While President Biden supported the general framework of the new bipartisan bill, former United States President Donald Trump opposed the compromise. This is what prompted several State Republicans to say that they would not support the measure, according to the Washington Post.

Lankford said on Sunday that his colleagues have not yet had the chance to read the full text of the bipartisan bill. He said that there were "internet rumors" floating around regarding the measure, which he called inaccurate.

The key border policy negotiator added that the new bill focuses on getting the country to zero illegal crossings a day. He said that there was no amnesty, adding that the bill increases the number of Border Patrol agents, asylum officers, and detention beds to quickly detain and deport illegal immigrants.

Another key negotiator on border policy, Sen. Chris Murphy, said that the text of a compromise could be ready to go to the Senate in the next few days. He said that the issue would be whether or not Republican lawmakers are going to listen to Trump amid the latter's efforts to tank the compromise, said CNN.