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The immigration and border crisis is quickly morphing into the dominant issue of American politics – and Democrats are pivoting faster than Republicans at the moment.
GOP lawmakers have long claimed immigration as their top issue, raising the alarm about the drastic rise of migrants and asylum-seekers at the southern border. Blaming President Joe Biden for the border crisis is the backbone of Donald Trump’s presidential campaign.
But after a defeat in a special election to fill a New York House seat, Republicans might be wondering if they are being outmaneuvered by Democrats who are adjusting to acknowledge the crisis and suddenly preaching bipartisanship.
A drastic, new migrant policy under consideration by the Biden administration will only heap pressure on Republicans to relent and seek middle ground with the White House even as they complain about Biden’s current policy.
Here’s what’s happened with immigration so far this week:
Republicans, committed to casting blame, impeach Mayorkas. It took two tries, but House Republicans made their point and voted by the narrowest possible margin to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, the first impeachment of a Cabinet secretary since the 1870s. The Senate, which is controlled by Democrats, will surely acquit Mayorkas or figure out a way to dismiss the charges, but not without an unwanted spectacle.
There are consequences for failing to legislate. After the failure of a bipartisan Senate compromise to revamp border policy and add funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Biden administration has drawn up a draft contingency plan to address a massive budget shortfall by…
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