Senate Democrats to force second vote on border bill that Republicans blocked

Senate Democrats on Thursday will force a second vote on a bipartisan border security bill that Republicans blocked earlier this year at Donald Trump’s behest.

The legislation has next to no chance of passing the chamber, but Democrats hope the attempt will strengthen their argument that Republicans are not serious about addressing the situation at the US border with Mexico, an issue that polls show is a top concern among voters – and one of Joe Biden’s biggest political liabilities.

“Our bipartisan border bill represented a real chance – in fact, the best chance in decades – to act on border security, to make a law and not just to make a political point,” Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer said on Wednesday.

Democrats have spent the week driving home the message that the president and his party are trying to solve the issue, but have been thwarted by Republicans following Trump’s lead.

In February, after months of negotiations, a bipartisan group of senators had unveiled an immigration compromise – legislation Republicans said was necessary to unlock their support for a foreign aid package that included assistance to Ukraine.

The legislation, which would have made major changes to immigration law and received endorsements from the National Border Patrol Council and the US Chamber of Commerce, initially appeared to have the support to pass. But then Trump, wary of handing his opponent a political victory on one of his most motivating issues, called it weak and demanded his allies in the Senate abandon it.

When it came to the floor, the measure failed in a 50-49 vote, far short of the 60 ayes needed to begin debate. All but four Republicans opposed it. They were joined by a group of liberal and Latino Democrats who argued