Congressional Democrats have formed a new working group to study border security issues, an effort that members say will help their party contribute to immigration policy in the House.
The Democrats for Border Security Task Force, led by Rep. Henry Cuellar of Texas and Tom Suozzi of New York, is focused on both the influx of illegal border crossings and addressing the surge of fentanyl and other substances from coming into the U.S., according to Cuellar’s office.
“I hope that it helps us get back to the negotiating table with our colleagues on the other side of the aisle to work in good faith for border security and immigration solutions,” said Rep. Mike Levin, D-San Juan Capistrano, one of the task force’s 26 members. “That’s what is lacking right now.”
The task force is an effort, too, to frame Democrats’ narrative on border security and immigration — and counter misinformation should a bipartisan proposal emerge, Levin said.
Rep. Mike Levin, D-San Juan Capistrano, is a member of a new House Democrats border security task force. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Pointing to a bipartisan border deal killed by Republicans earlier this year, Levin blamed “pervasive misinformation that somehow the bill wasn’t tough enough” and former President Donald Trump’s opposition for stymying what he said could have addressed real problems at the border.
That proposal — from Republican Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma, Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut and independent Sen. Krysten Sinema of Arizona — included new authority for the U.S. government to prohibit migrants from entering the country if a certain number of people try per day to enter unlawfully. But some Republicans said the bill would actually allow more migrants in every day, which Lankford said was “factually wrong.”
“The bipartisan deal got bogged down in the the 5,000 per day figure, and that figure was distorted, it was turned on its head. And Sen. Lankford tried to correct the record but was overwhelmed,” Levin said.
So the task force, he said, needs to make a priority of putting out facts about whatever proposals they put forth.
The new task force hasn’t yet had a meeting — it was only just announced last week — but it plans to meet with administration officials, officials from border communities and other policy experts.
Despite the increasing polarization of politics, Levin believes a comprehensive border security and immigration proposal can get done.
“Rather than pointing fingers at one another, let’s try to work together, get back on track, so that when the opportunity does present itself (to collaborate on legislation), we actually have substance,” said Levin.
“But there’s no deal until people have good faith discussions,” he added. “Just giving up is not an option; it’s too important.”
Immigration and border security continue to top the list of issues Americans are most concerned with headed into the presidential election later this year, polling shows. And it continues to be a concern for Democrats that immigration could become a liability for President Joe Biden as he seeks reelection.
And in California, voters surveyed earlier this year, in a more than two-to-one margin, said they do not believe the county’s borders are secured enough to prevent people from illegally entering the country. Those figures are higher among registered Republicans (92%) than registered Democrats (44%) and no party preference (64%) voters.
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“Cities across the country are now feeling the consequences of the humanitarian crisis at the border — something border communities have been dealing with for years,” Cuellar, the Texas Democrat, said in a statement. “This crisis is unsustainable, and Democrats need a forum to approach border security policy as the GOP continues to play partisan politics with the future.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.