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.

    • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
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      5 months ago

      There seems to be a ‘crisis’ at the border every election year and then the ‘crisis’ suddenly ends if Republicans get into power.

      • Alenalda@lemmy.world
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        5 months ago

        I’m still waiting for the next dangerous migrant caravan saga to come along. I expect we’ll see it in the next couple months.

      • Buelldozer@lemmy.today
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        5 months ago

        There seems to be a ‘crisis’ at the border every election year…

        How can you look at this graph and not see a problem? Border interactions rose by a factor of five between 2020 and 2022 and while they 2023 numbers aren’t out yet it’s clear that they went up even more.

        …and then the ‘crisis’ suddenly ends if Republicans get into power.

        Which is why Trump famously shut up about the border wall after he was elected. Oh…wait.

        I mean fuck Trump (and most Republicans) but your comment is ridiculous.

        • jballs@sh.itjust.works
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          5 months ago

          So you’re saying that border agents under Biden are catching 5 times more illegal immigrants than they were under Trump? Sounds like Trump was soft on immigration.

          • Buelldozer@lemmy.today
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            5 months ago

            First fuck Trump, I never voted for the guy and never will. With that out of the way your misrepresentation of what’s happening at the Southern Border is ridiculous at best. The “Got Away” rate has also skyrocketed in the last three years. There’s just no way to spin this, we have a problem.