Florida Republican Sen. Rick Scott on Sunday blasted one of his own on Sunday, arguing that Sen. James Lankford is on a “suicide mission” by working with Democrats on a controversial border bill.
Scott appeared on Fox News after Lankford had explained and defended his border proposal.
The Oklahoma lawmaker claimed opposition to the bill was being fueled by “internet rumors” but then admitted that people were forced to go by leaked details because the actual language of the bill was still under wraps.
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Lankford also denied that the proposal would allow 5,000 illegal immigrants to enter the country each day — or almost 2 million a year — before authorities would close the border. That is its most controversial aspect of the plan revealed so far.
Lankford also asserted the bill “ends catch and release” and boosts the number of Border Patrol agents, asylum officers, and detention beds “so we can quickly detain and then deport individuals.”
When Fox News host Shannon Bream asked Sen. Scott why not just “take something” that suggests the border is being secured, the Florida Republican disputed it would have any effect.
“He’s on a suicide mission. The Democrats do not want to secure the border,” Scott said of Lankford.
“Right now, this border could be secure, but we know we have a lawless administration, a completely lawless Biden administration,” Scott continued. “So the only way this is going to happen is if we have accountability that forces [President Joe] Biden to enforce the law.”
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“We could change all these laws. There’s laws now,” Scott continued. “[Former President Donald] Trump secured the border. Biden decided open the border on the exact same laws. We don’t need a new bill. We need something to enforce to force Biden to comply with the law.”
Scott admitted being puzzled why Lankford, who complained about opposition being generated by rumors, did not already share the details of the plan.
Based on what’s been revealed so far, Trump, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, House Speaker Mike Johnson, Reps. Matt Gaetz and Marjorie Taylor Greene and numerous other Republicans have slammed Lankford and other GOP moderates for negotiating a bill that does not beef up security as much as the measure that House Republicans have already passed.
“But what we do know is Biden’s lawless, he doesn’t want to secure the border, Democrats don’t want to secure the border, and [Senate Minority Leader Mitch] McConnell told Lankford he cannot add accountability measures to the bill to require Biden to secure the border today.”
When Bream challenged Scott on accepting the 5,000 illegals a day, the senator countered, “Biden could do that today. Why doesn’t he do it today?”
Read: Florida Sen. Scott Slams Senate’s So-Called Immigration Deal, Lawless Open-Border Agenda
“He doesn’t need any of this to secure the border. Trump secured the border with the exact same laws,” Scott said. “Unless there’s some accountability measure that forces Biden to secure the border – tied to Ukraine aid, tied to something else – unless there’s something like that, Biden is not going to comply with the law.”
“If it was important for him to comply with the law, he would do it right now. If we can’t force Biden to secure the border, we need to shut the border today.”
He then reiterated that McConnell is the stumbling block by not allowing Lankford to include a provision that would mandate Biden to protect the border.
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