Today, the three border-only enforcement amendments were defeated in the Senate.

In the past 24 hours, Americans spoke out about where they stand. There were over 30,000 phone calls and faxes asking Senators to vote “NO” on these misguided amendments. Thanks to this pressure, there was no more additional money wasted on bad policies that do nothing to advance our fight for immigration reform.

For years, Congress has poured more and more money into border and enforcement legislation without fundamentally changing the broken immigration system that is the root of the problem. It’s clear that more money wasted on border enforcement without real reform is NOT the solution that we are looking for.

It is time for the President and Republicans to get serious about comprehensive reform. Enough is enough. Republicans have been too quick to scapegoat immigrants for problems and hide behind get-tough border-only amendments, without having the spine to address the real issue. And this week, the President himself joined their ranks by agreeing to send 1,200 National Guard troops to the border, contradicting his own administration’s stance and further breaking his promise of immigration reform. I, personally, did not vote this President into office so that we could waste more money on foolish border policies while ignoring the real issue. Did you?

The good news is, it looks like the majority of Senators recognize that pouring more money into already failed policies is not the way forward. The amendments today were introduced by Senators McCain, Kyl and Cornyn. Each amendment sought to fund programs and initiatives that would merely be a symbolic band aid on the gaping wound of our immigration system.

First up was an amendment introduced by Senator McCain. It would have sent 6,000 National Guardsmen to the southern border.  Federal law enforcement agencies are the real experts on border security and we should allow them to do their job, not the National Guard.

Next was Senator Kyl’s amendment. Rather than deal with the real issues of immigration, Kyl moved to expand the failed program Operation Streamline, throwing more money at a program that diverts crucial and limited federal judicial resources away from counter-drug and smuggling prosecutions.

Last, was an amendment introduced by Senator Cornyn. ­­­­Instead of supporting real solutions like comprehensive immigration reform, Sen. Cornyn offered an amendment to provide a mind-blowing $ 1,985,540,000 total in additional funding for enforcement-only operations that have been proven to be both ineffective and avoid any real solutions on the issue.

Thank you to those Senators who voted against foolish and wasteful measures. We look forward to your leadership on real reform immediately.

Keep reading for a list of how Senators voted today.

On the Senator McCain’s amendment (4214), there was one Republican who voted down the bill: Senator Voinovich (R-OH). The list of Democrats who went for McCain’s policy are:

Senator Boxer (D-CA), Senator Feinstein (D-CA), Senator Nelson (D-NE), Senator Webb (D-VA), McCaskill (D-MO), Senator Bayh (D-IN), Senator Lincoln (D-AR), Senator Pryor (D-AR), Senator Bennet (D-CO), Senator Nelson (D-FL), Senator Byrd (D-WV)

On Senator Kyl’s amendment (4228), Republicans unanimously supported.

These Democrats voted in favor: Senator Boxer (D-CA), Senator Feinstein (D-CA), Senator Landrieu (D-LA), Senator Nelson (D-NE), Senator Webb (D-VA), Senator Wyden (D-OR), Senator Merkeley (D-OR), McCaskill (D-MO), Senator Bayh (D-IN), Senator Lincoln (D-AR), Senator Pryor (D-AR), Senator Begich (D-AK).

These Democrats voted down the bad amendment: Senator Conrad (D-ND), Senator Dorgan (D-ND), Senator Johnson (D-SD), Senator Nelson (D-FL), Senator Warner (D-VA), Senator Stabenow (D-MI), Senator Baucus (D-WI), Senator Bennet (D-CO), Senator Hagan (D-NC), Senator Rockefeller (D-WV).

On Senator Cornyn’s amendment (4202), Republicans unanimously supported.

These Democrats voted in favor: Senator Bayh (D-IN), Seantor Feinstein (D-CA), Senator Boxer (D-CA), Senator Nelson (D-NE), Senator Pryor (D-AR), Senator Webb (D-VA), Senator Baucus (D-MT), Sentaor Lincoln (D-AR), Senator McCaskill (D-MO), Senator Klobuchar (D-MN), Sentor Udall (D-CO), Senator Lieberman (D-CT), Senator Kohl (D-WI).

These Democrats voted down the bad amendment: Senator Dorgan (D-ND), Senator Johnson (D-SD), Senator Nelson (D-FL), Senator Stebenow (D-MI), Senator Wyden (D-OR), Senator Specter (D-PA), Senator Merkley (D-OR), Seantor Conrad (D-ND), Senator Warner (D-VA), Senator Landrieu (D-LA).

Categories: comprehensive immigration reform, enforcement, legislation