Oklahoma GOP condemns what it calls Republican Sen. Lankford's 'open border deal'

"This bill focuses on getting us to zero illegal crossings a day," Lankford said on Fox. The text of the bill has not been released.

By Madeleine Hubbard

Published: January 28, 2024 12:50pm

Oklahoma Republicans are condemning their GOP U.S. senator, James Lankford, for what they call his "Open Border Deal" with New York Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer that would reportedly allow 5,000 illegal immigrants to enter the U.S. daily.

After Oklahoma State GOP Sen. Dusty Deevers on Saturday posted the OKGOP State Committee resolution on X, formerly Twitter, Lankford dismissed some of the claims in the resolution as "internet rumors" when he appeared Sunday on CBS News' "Face the Nation" and Fox News' "Fox News Sunday."

"It would be absolutely absurd for me to agree to 5,000 people a day. This bill focuses on getting us to zero illegal crossings a day," Lankford said on Fox. The text of the bill has not been released.

The resolution states that "until Senator Lankford ceases from these actions the Oklahoma Republican Party will cease all support for him."

More than 170 active Republicans from across Oklahoma attended the meeting on the resolution, and 124 voting members of the state GOP committee "resoundingly approved" the measure, according to Wayne Hill, vice chairman of the state GOP party branch.

"The OKGOP State Committee is committed to holding elected Republicans accountable to the standards set forth in the OKGOP Platform which supports limited legal immigration," Hill also said. "It is our hope that Senator Lankford will acknowledge the direction of the State Committee and do all in his power to defend our border from the current invasion."

Lankford's office did not immediately respond to Just the News' request for comment. However, hours after Deevers posted the resolution, Lankford wrote on X: "Border security is national security."

The resolution comes amid heightened tensions at the U.S. border, as Texas and the White House appear to be in a standoff over placing additional deterrents along the border.

Customs and Border Protection reported more than 300,000 illegal immigrant encounters along the southern border last month, which is the highest number of encounters in recorded history.

Meanwhile, a "Take Our Border Back Convoy" is scheduled to head to three spots along the border for rallies on Saturday as a protest against illegal immigration.

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