Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) Thursday privately begged Republican colleagues to take a deal on border security at a closed-door meeting — arguing the opportunity will vanish if former President Donald Trump is re-elected, reported Punchbowl News.
"During closed-door lunch, McConnell told GOP senators that this is Congress’ moment to do a border deal and urged R’s to 'take this opportunity' now because a border deal with Dems won’t happen under a 2nd Trump presidency," Andrew Desiderio posted on X.
According to Desiderio, Sen. James Lankford (R-OK) also vouched for the deal in progress with the White House.
The White House and Senate Republicans have for weeks now been pursuing a grand bargain on border security that would also include the authorization of aid to Israel and Ukraine.
"This is the latest effort by GOP leaders to assuage concerns from conservatives that the border provisions won’t be good enough," wrote Desiderio. "The argument boils down to: This is the best deal we can get and now is our only chance; McConnell, of course, also wants the foreign aid portion to pass."
This comes as Senate Democrats have registered unease with the deal, which may include new restrictions on asylum and an expedited removal process for certain unauthorized migrants, because the White House hasn't involved the caucus closely in the process.
On the flip side, many House Republicans, including House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), have threatened that any compromise that falls short of a draconian anti-immigration package passed by the chamber in recent weeks will be dead on arrival.
And some GOP lawmakers, including Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), have been threatening a government shutdown and the blockade of Johnson's own budget bargain with Biden in protest of border issues.