Cruz calls McConnell’s DHS plan a ‘mistake’

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) on Tuesday criticized a plan to separate the immigration fight from a bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security.

“Leadership’s current plan—to pass clean DHS funding and separate legislation barring executive amnesty— is a mistake,” Cruz said in a statement.

{mosads}Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) offered Tuesday to separate the DHS spending bill from the controversial immigration provisions, which are behind the current legislative stalemate. Senators will vote to take up the immigration plan Friday, which would focus only on Obama’s immigration actions from November.  

McConnell also offered to take up a clean bill that would fund DHS through Sept. 30.

But Cruz said lawmakers have an obligation to stop “President Obama’s lawlessness.” 

“Congress is obliged to use every constitutional check and balance we have to rein in President Obama’s lawlessness, and that includes both our confirmation authority over nominees and the power of the purse,” he said.

Cruz isn’t the only Senate Republican to back the House-passed bill following McConnell’s announcement. Sens. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.) also called on Senate Democrats to let the legislation pass.