A comprehensive border security bill failed to pass in the Senate on Thursday (May 23) due to opposition from Republicans and divisions within the Democratic party. The bill, reintroduced after failing earlier this year, was defeated with a vote of 43 to 50.
The legislation was brought back to the Senate floor by Democrats in an attempt to pressure Republicans and shift the narrative on border security. However, the bill revealed splits among Democrats, with some opposing it, thereby undermining the party's messaging effort.
The bill was initially blocked after former President Donald Trump urged GOP lawmakers to reject it. Democrats have used the bill's failure to argue that Republicans are not serious about addressing issues at the southern border. However, without foreign aid tied to the bill, some Democrats and immigrant advocates have criticized it as purely political and have taken issue with key elements of the bill.
"I will not vote for the bill coming to the Senate floor this week because it includes several provisions that will violate Americans' shared values. These provisions would not make us safe," said Sen. Cory Booker, a New Jersey Democrat, in a statement.
Republicans have largely dismissed the vote as a political move by Democrats seeking political cover ahead of the November elections. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer acknowledged that not every Democrat may vote for the bill, which requires 60 votes to break a GOP filibuster attempt.
The bill would have significantly changed immigration law for the first time in decades, including a new emergency authority to restrict border crossings if daily average migrant encounters reach a certain level, and expedited asylum processing timelines, among other measures.