Yesterday, the Senate took a series of votes on border-only immigration control measures sponsored by Republicans. If you clicked through our Sign This, Send That post from Saturday, you may have helped influence our Senators’ votes on these measures. The proposals would have prolonged and extended policies that have not worked for a decade, sending good tax dollars after bad.

All three proposals were defeated, thanks to the Democratic majority in the Senate, and the voices of those Senators constiuents. Reform Immigration For America explains what was at stake.

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. – Reform Immigration For America

Senator Warner was among those voting down these Amendments. Senator Webb voted for them.In order to get to real immigration reform, we need to get through and past the fog of falsehood and fraudulent plans. We need to say no to policies that validate false assumptions first, so we can build a consensus around real reform.

The Amendments offered by Senators McCain, Kyl and Cornyn weren’t solutions. They were simply symbolic acts, feeding into the fear of migrants. America is the land of opportunity. Period. Militarizing a border which is already full of law enforcement is not an answer. Wasting two billion dollars on ineffective grandstanding is not an answer.

I thank Senator Warner for taking a stand against scare tactics posing as solutions. I thank him for his votes.

As for Senator Webb, I must ask why he chose to vote against our newest Americans and their families. I ask him why he chose to validate fear and fake answers.