California Democrat blocks GOP resolution to declare migrant crisis 'an invasion'

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Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., addresses the controversial proposed border security bill as it appears DOA.

Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla of California thwarted Republican Sen. Roger Marshall's bid for unanimous consent to label the southern border migrant crisis as "an invasion" during Tuesday's Senate session.

"They can't decide if the border is in crisis or if they'd rather wait until after the election to talk about or try to do something about it. And today, in this resolution, they're doubling down on declaring a quote, unquote invasion and vilifying immigrants, while preventing the federal government from keeping order on the border," Padilla said on the floor Tuesday afternoon.

"Make up your mind," he quipped. "Do you want to get serious about immigration reform, or not?"

While Padilla agreed the asylum system is "outdated," he added, "The idea that immigrants are invading has radicalized people in our country to perpetuate terrible violence."

"Governor Abbott has shown us the cruelty and lawlessness of what it would lead to, unconstitutional legislation, to terrorize immigrants in Texas, putting them at risk of racial profiling and civil rights violations," he said.

SENATE REPUBLICANS MOBILIZE TO BLOCK BORDER BILL: 'THIS WILL NOT PASS'

Senator Roger Marshall, a Republican from Kansas, speaks during a Senate Budget Committee hearing in Washington, DC, US, on Wednesday, March 15, 2023.  (Getty Images)

Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., cosponsored the resolution on the floor, arguing Democrats haven't seen the crisis at the Texas border. 

"I've been there many times I would challenge my Democratic colleagues how many times you've been to the southern border in Texas, to see this disaster? Right now the Biden administration is actively trying to stop the state of Texas from protecting their and our border," Tuberville said. 

The unanimous consent resolution was an effort to rally behind Gov. Greg Abbott amid his feud with the Biden administration over defending the border from thousands of illegal migrants. But with one senator objecting, it was immediately killed. 

The resolution states that due to "President Biden’s dereliction of duty" and "failure" to enforce current border laws, citizens in all 50 states have been endangered. It contends that violent activities and smuggling carried out by drug cartels and criminal organizations, along with illegal border crossings, meet the definition of "actually invaded" under the U.S. Constitution.

"Joe Biden has the power to secure our borders; instead, he has chosen to break the law, resulting in the worst border crisis in history," Marshall told Fox News Digita in a statement before the vote. "I do not know how Joe Biden sleeps at night knowing terrorists, CCP nationals, cartels, and worse are living here in the interior of our country." 

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Democratic California Sen. Alex Padilla, who is expected to easily be elected to a full term Tuesday night. He was appointed to replace Kamala Harris following her ascension to the vice presidency. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

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Marshall is one of more than 20 GOP senators who oppose the bipartisan border bill that was released Sunday, arguing it provides more sole powers to President Biden and does not reduce the number of illegal crossings to zero. The Senate will take up a cloture vote on Wednesday to advance the bill, which includes billions of dollars in aid to Israel and Ukraine, and will need a 60-vote majority to pass. 

"This bill should really be called the Ukraine funding bill," Marshall told reporters in a press conference Tuesday afternoon. "And yes, Joe Biden has been going through this charade now for several months, but he was never serious about securing the border, like my colleagues said, Joe Biden could secure the border yesterday. That was never his goal."