Sen. Ted Cruz said Tuesday that Republicans should insist on halting President Obama’s immigration policies, including by tying that opposition to continued government funding, raising the possibility that Congress could be headed for another shutdown showdown.
“I think we should use any and all means necessary,” Mr. Cruz told reporters who asked about tying the immigration fight to a bill to keep the government open past Sept. 30, the end of the fiscal year.
Late Tuesday evening, House Appropriations Committee Chairman Hal Rogers introduced a stopgap bill, or continuing resolution, that ducked the issue. While containing authority for Mr. Obama to shift money in accounts to accommodate the surge of illegal immigrants on the border, it does not halt his nondeportation policies.
That means if Mr. Cruz and his supporters want to stage a fight, they would have to threaten to vote against the spending bill.
Republican leaders weren’t ready to go that far, and Mr. Cruz himself wouldn’t say whether he would refuse to vote for a spending bill that didn’t include the immigration language.
But Democrats seized on his comments, accusing the Texas Republican of plotting another shutdown similar to last year’s, when Mr. Cruz led Republicans in insisting Obamacare funding be removed before they would consent to funding the government. Gridlock ensued, and the federal government went into a partial shutdown, emerging after 17 days with Obamacare funding intact.
SEE ALSO: Obama ‘willing to take a little heat’ for delays on immigration
Last year’s shutdown appeared to damage Republicans, but the damage was short-lived, eclipsed by the botched rollout of Obamacare.
This year, the fight is over Mr. Obama’s nondeportation policies for illegal immigrants. While the president has said he won’t expand those policies until after the election, Republicans want to pass legislation blocking him altogether. Such a bill cleared the House in early August, as part of a debate on how to stop the surge of illegal-immigrant children crossing the border.
But Democrats, who control the Senate, have refused to bring that bill up. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Nevada Democrat, said he won’t allow a vote on a bill to end the nondeportation policies, and said the GOP is free to vote against funding the government.
“They have every right to do whatever they want legislatively. If they want to be the lead team of shutting down the government, that’s what they’re going to have to do,” he said.
Mr. Reid’s GOP counterpart, Sen. Mitch McConnell, Kentucky Republican, refused to take a stand on the issue, saying he would wait to see what legislation the House sends over.
Funding for basic government operations expires on Sept. 30.
SEE ALSO: Hispanic Caucus got ‘no heads-up’ from Obama on immigration delay: Rep. Sanchez
• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.
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