Sen. Chris Murphy, the Connecticut Democrat who negotiated a failed bipartisan border security package with Republicans, wants his party to zero in on talking about illegal immigration ahead of the November elections.
President Biden and his main Republican rival, former President Donald Trump, took separate but dueling visits to the southern border last week as the crisis remains one of the top political issues for voters.
“I think Democrats need to go on the offense on this question of controlling the border,” Mr. Murphy said on ABC’s “This Week.” “The fact of the matter is, we did achieve a bipartisan compromise. It will give the president new powers to get the border under control, and Donald Trump killed it.”
Republicans rejected the bipartisan legislation as being too soft on illegal immigration, while Democrats have argued Mr. Biden needs new laws to stem the record influx despite his predecessor using his executive authorities to manage the flow.
“Donald Trump and the Republicans decided that they want the border to be chaotic. It helps them politically,” Mr. Murphy said. “Polls show that if Democrats just tell that story, if the president tells that story, Republicans’ political advantage on the border is erased. The reality is President Biden needs that legislation because it is just not true that he has the existing authority to issue executive actions that get the border under control.”
• Ramsey Touchberry can be reached at rtouchberry@washingtontimes.com.
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