Many on the right claim the U.S. is being “invaded” by migrants but also want to wait until Donald Trump is elected president again to stop it.

For months, Republicans have shouted from the rooftops about a migrant crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border and how President Joe Biden needs to act to address it, insisting the flow of migrants is an urgent national security threat.

Now many on the right are urging their party to reject the very same things they said were needed to fix the problem, including tougher enforcement measures and a proposal to automatically shut down border crossings when it is overwhelmed. Instead, they appear set on impeaching the top Cabinet official in charge of the border, even though there is no evidence of a crime.

The GOP’s contortions aren’t just grating for Democrats but also on some conservative Republicans who have been deeply involved in crafting bipartisan legislation, which is expected to be unveiled soon, that would overhaul how migrants are processed at the border.

“It is interesting. Republicans four months ago… locked arms together and said, ‘We’re not going to give you money for this. We want a change in law,’” Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.), the GOP’s lead negotiator on a deal pairing immigration changes with assistance to Ukraine and other allies, said on “Fox News Sunday.”

“A few months later, when we’re finally getting to the end, they’re like, ‘Oh, just kidding. I actually don’t want a change in law because it’s a presidential election year,’” he added.

  • @SpezBroughtMeHere
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    -25 months ago

    What’s the catch? There’s no way everybody agreed to “let’s give Republicans everything they’re asking for” without adding in some bullshit that would get the whole thing turned down. That’s just not how politics work. So what was it?

    • chingadera
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      85 months ago

      Aid for Ukraine. Afaik they said they would only aid Ukraine if they closed the border, then when Dems tried to take them up on that offer, Trump asked that Republicans deny any deal and hold it hostage essentially. It’s a bit more nuanced than that I’m sure, but that’s the gist as far as I remember from the last few days. Corrections welcome.

    • @SPRUNT
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      75 months ago

      The catch is that it would be perceived as a win for biden. That’s it.

    • SuperDuper
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      45 months ago

      So what was it?

      Trump said it was a terrible deal, Republicans fell in line. They are refusing to govern simply because fixing the border issue takes away one of Trump’s campaign talking points.