Democrats Will Confront Republican Efforts to Kill Border Security Bill on the Campaign Trail

To: Interested Parties
From: Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
Date: May 10, 2024
Subject: Democrats Will Confront Republican Efforts to Kill Border Security Bill on the Campaign Trail

“The problem is the Republicans, not the Democrats. My Republican colleagues are unwilling to vote to secure the border.” – Rep. Keith Self (TX-03)

House Republicans continue to play partisan politics at the behest of Donald Trump, and voters have to look no further than Republicans’ hypocritical rhetoric on the border. Because of their decision to play politics with this critical issue — with six months until Election Day — House Democrats are going on the offensive against disingenuous far-right political attacks from Republicans who joined Trump in killing a bipartisan border deal so that they could campaign on the border.

HOUSE REPUBLICANS KILLED THE BIPARTISAN BORDER DEAL ON DONALD TRUMP’S ORDERS
This year, Donald Trump bragged that the Bipartisan Border Deal was “not going to happen” and that he would “fight it all the way” so he can use the issue to run for president. Speaker Mike Johnson immediately fell in line, declaring that the bill would be “dead on arrival.” The bill was supported by two in three Americans, but House Republicans shut it down because of partisan politics, saying they were “not willing to do too damn much right now to help a Democrat and to help Joe Biden’s approval rating.” More than 60% of voters say they are concerned that House Republicans are more focused on partisan games than solutions to the actual issues, such as immigration reform and border security.

DEMOCRATS WIN WHEN WE MEET THE ISSUE HEAD ON
Rep. Tom Suozzi (NY-03) put this GOP hypocrisy at the center of his campaign in the February special election, demanding his opponent defend House Republicans’ inaction and political gamesmanship. Suozzi argued for bipartisan solutions, didn’t let Republican lies go unanswered, and wasn’t afraid to engage with voters on this important issue – and in doing so left a blueprint in place for beating House Republicans by making it clear to voters that only one party is serious when it comes to finding solutions to secure the border.

DEMOCRATS ARE GOING ON THE OFFENSIVE TO ADDRESS BORDER SECURITY 
Incumbents and candidates in battleground seats across the country are the only ones proposing solutions for immigration reform and border security, holding their Republican opponents accountable for bending the knee to Trump and killing the bipartisan legislation. Frontline Democrats in Congress founded the “Democrats for Border Security” taskforce to fight for actual solutions, including:

Our battle-tested Frontline Democrats and Red to Blue challengers are already going on offense, slamming their Republican opponents for putting politics over problem-solving.

• AZ-06 – Kirsten Engel: Rep. Juan Ciscomani could help fix the border. Instead, he kowtows to Trump

• CA-49 – Rep. Mike Levin: Bipartisan compromise is key to solving border and immigration challenges

• MI-03 – Rep. Hillary Scholten: Rep. Scholten says ‘horrific’ conditions at southern border not helped by ‘do-nothing’ votes

• NM-02 – Rep. Gabe Vasquez: Vasquez calls out Republicans for ‘inaction’ on border policy

• NY-04 – Laura Gillen: We must secure our borders, reform immigration now

• NY-17 – Mondaire Jones: Congressman Mike Lawler plays politics instead of securing our border

• NY-18 – Rep. Pat Ryan: Ryan demands House vote on immigration bill

• PA-17 – Rep. Chris Deluzio: A tough and fair border deal killed by Republicans

BOTTOM LINE
With six months to go before Election Day, House Democrats have a clear message for holding Republicans accountable for playing politics with immigration and border security. In polling data and in recent electoral victories, voters have shown that they are fed up with Republican extremism, chaos, and partisanship – they want more than empty rhetoric. Frontline Democrats and Democratic challengers will continue to go on offense and make it clear that we are the only party focused on real solutions, and when voters make their voices heard, the new Democratic majority will get to work to deliver those results.

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