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Washington Post Blasts GOP’s “Scare Tactics on the Border,” Singles out John Cornyn

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border securityA scathing editorial today in the Washington Post blasts the Republican Party’s “scare tactics” on border security:

Given the clear data, it is hard to view these scare tactics as anything but a cynical effort to distort the debate on immigration reform. The intent is to distract Americans from the problem of 11 million immigrants here illegally by pointing to an imaginary wave of crime and instability at the border. Of course, goes the argument, we need immigration reform, but we can’t possibly achieve it until order is restored.

The Republican strategy is dishonest and effective.

Absolutely right.

The Post singles out the Texas Senator John Cornyn for his blatant hypocrisy on the immigration issue:

Members of Congress, such as Mr. Cornyn, have tried to have it both ways. On the one hand, as a senator with a large constituency of Hispanic voters, he’s acknowledged the pressing need for immigration reform. On the other hand, Mr. Cornyn has voted against virtually all serious legislation aimed at fixing the nation’s immigration system, including bills sought by the Bush administration.

In a congressional hearing, he pressed Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano to specify how much additional “time and efforts” are needed to secure the border. But at the same time Mr. Cornyn has never defined what a secure border would look like, and he’s only glancingly acknowledged that illegal crossings have plummeted.

There’s a reason America’s Voice gave Cornyn the “Biggest Hypocrite on Immigration” Award earlier this year.  He has tried to have it both ways, but without ever actually doing anything to solve the problem. Instead, he continues his irresponsible rhetoric on border security. 

The conclusion is especially powerful:

Horror stories about an out-of-control border are untethered from the facts. They’re also irresponsible. By using the myth of escalating border insecurity as an excuse for inaction on the pressing reality of a broken immigration system, politicians perpetuate both a lie and the national disgrace of a dysfunctional policy.

It’s rare for an editorial to accuse politicians of lying. But that’s exactly what Republican politicians are doing on the issue of border security, and it is a national disgrace.