Republicans line up to sink Senate border bill negotiated by one of their own

Republican opposition continued to grow Tuesday against a $118 billion bipartisan border deal and foreign aid package ahead of a key vote in the Senate. Trump, who is hoping to make immigration a key plank of his presidential campaign, has suggested on Truth Social that approving additional resources for the border would make Republicans “look bad.” Offering a blunt assessment of the grim prospects facing the bill, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell told reporters that the deal “will not become law,” due to Johnson’s opposition and concerns within the Senate GOP conference. “And instead of standing up to Donald Trump, Senate Republicans are ready to kill our best chance at fixing the border and ready to vote down this aid package for Ukraine in order to put what they think – they think – is their party’s political interest above the interests of the country.” The Democratic leader also went after Republican demands for more time to read the bill, noting that they had requested 72 hours, and saying he would offer to move the first procedural vote to Thursday if they want another day. “We need more time,” Cornyn told CNN, adding later: “I’m a ‘no’ on the motion to proceed.” Murphy, a key Democratic border deal negotiator, blasted Senate Republicans on Tuesday, calling them a “disaster” and describing their treatment of Lankford, the top GOP negotiator, as “disgusting,” saying he never expected they would leave him “hanging out to dry as badly as they did.” “I never expected they would leave Senator Lankford hanging out to dry as badly as they did,” Murphy said. The Wall Street Journal editorial board called the deal “the most restrictive migrant legislation in decades,” saying “its provisions include long-time GOP priorities” in an op-ed titled “A Border Security Bill Worth Passing.” The sweeping legislative package would also provide aid to key US allies abroad, including billions of dollars to support Ukraine in its fight against Russia and security assistance for Israel, as well as humanitarian assistance for civilians in Gaza, the West Bank and Ukraine.