McConnell: Cruz bill should get vote

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Tuesday that Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz’s proposal to reverse the administration’s policy on deportations should get a vote.

Cruz has introduced a bill to undo President Obama’s 2012 executive action to delay deportations of immigrants who arrived to the U.S. as children. The program, known as Deferred Action for Child Arrivals (DACA) stalls the deportations of certain children who illegally immigrated to the U.S. as minors before 2007.

{mosads}Cruz has pressed to have his proposal linked to the emergency funding package to address the influx of child migrants crossing the border.

McConnell did not endorse Cruz’s measure, but indicated senators should still vote on it if they consider a package to provide funds for the border.

“Well, if we bring up a bill… it should be open to amendments,” McConnell said.

Senate Minority Whip John Cornyn (R-Texas), who has introduced a measure with Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) to amend a 2008 trafficking law so that child migrants can be sent back to their home countries faster, was pessimistic about the odds for an emergency funding package for the border. 

“Unfortunately, it looks like we’re on track to do absolutely nothing,” Cornyn said.