Republicans in Texas demand and then assist in the demise of a bipartisan agreement on border security.

U.S. Senator Ted Cruz blocked the bipartisan proposal to provide aid to Ukraine and address the surge of migrants at the southern border. The bill failed to clear a procedural hurdle by 49-50 vote in the Senate, and Cruz touts his role in killing the bipartisan compromise that would have included border provisions and aid for Ukraine. He argued that it would have been terrible policy for not securing the border and dismissed the proposal based on those and political considerations. Democrats claim that Republicans were more interested in political gain than solving the crisis.

U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, who is running for U.S. Senator against Cruz, supported the failed compromise as a much-needed step but regretted Cruz’s opposition to it, as it seemed like a case of cynical partisan politics.

Not all Democrats were sold either because several of them criticized the proposal as too conservative. The chief rival in the crowded Democratic primary field, state Sen. Roland Gutierrez of San Antonio, criticized the bill as a “slap in the face to Texans” and called for true bipartisanship to overhaul the immigration system.

Republicans see border and immigration as potent issues going into the November elections amid conflicts between Texas Governor Greg Abbott and the Biden administration. The deal included several Republican-demanded steps such as overhauling the asylum process and new emergency provisions. The compromise received opposition from some Texas Republicans in the House.

The border package would allow more border wall construction, addition of detention beds for migrants, and increased funding to stop deadly fentanyl from entering the country, though most GOP senators rejected it. While the compromise was largely criticized, the Democrats also faced opposition for being too conservative.

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