Senator Coons has his prayer breakfast, his vaunted “common sense” coalition, his ongoing praise of Republicans as “valued partners” in good government. He has his bottomless faith in Mitch McDonnell, but what he doesn’t have are any wins. Nope. When it comes to turning bipartisan friendships into actual results, Coons is a loser. A big loser. He is a lovable loser though. So at least there is that.
A broad bipartisan immigration deal that protected so-called “Dreamers” while providing funds for a border wall failed Thursday, having faced a ferocious lobbying campaign against it led by the White House.
It was the third piece of immigration-related legislation to go down Thursday afternoon, as the Senate considers measures to codify the DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) program.
The legislation — sponsored by Sens. Mike Rounds (R-SD) and Angus King (I-ME), and backed by a bipartisan group of senators known as the “Common Sense Coalition” — would have given young immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children a pathway to citizenship. It provided $25 billion over 10 years in border security, including for the “construction of physical barriers.” It would also block green card holders from sponsoring adult children for immigration, meaning that those immigrants would have to wait until they become citizens before sponsoring their adult children.
It received 54 votes in its favor and 45 against the legislation.
It was considered the best opportunity for the Senate to put up the votes it would need from both parties to overcome a filibuster. The Department of Homeland Security had blasted the bill for creating a “mass amnesty” and for “destroy[ing]” the DHS’ ability to “to remove millions of illegal aliens.”
Immigration advocates were skeptical of it, but most preferred that legislation over no protection for DACA recipients.
A narrower deal to protect DACA recipients also failed to muster 60 votes Thursday. That legislation, the first vote of the afternoon, was sponsored by Sens. John McCain (R-AZ) and Chris Coons (D-DE).
