A group of 12 Democratic senators, led by Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona, asked Majority Leader John Thune Wednesday to pursue bipartisan immigration-related legislation instead of the party-line approach Republicans are currently planning for.
“We understand that Senate Republicans have discussed using the budget reconciliation process to advance border security budget measures without any Democratic input,” the senators wrote in the letter. “While that’s your right, in working together on a bipartisan basis, we can achieve the best outcome for the American people.
They added: “There are also limitations to what can be done under budget reconciliation, and as we’ve seen time and time again, no party has all the solutions on this or any issue.”
Most of the Democrats on the letter voted with Republicans to pass the first immigration-related legislation of the Congress, the Laken Riley Act, earlier this week. The House is expected to give the bill final passage later today.
Many of the signees also backed the bipartisan border security bill crafted a year ago by a Senate gang that ultimately failed after now-President Donald Trump opposed it. Notably, the lead Democratic negotiator of that bill, Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), has played down the possibility of new bipartisan talks under Trump and did not sign the letter.
