The Oklahoma Republican Party approved a resolution on Saturday condemning and censuring Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) who serves as the lead Republican negotiator in border security talks with Democrats and the White House.
“Senator James Lankford was recently working with Democrat Senator Charles Schumer on an open border to allow 5,000 illegal immigrants a day to enter and work in the United States,” the resolution says, according to a copy posted to X/Twitter by Oklahoma state Sen. Dusty Deevers.
“Senator Lankford playing fast and loose with Democrats on our border policy not only disfranchises legal immigrants seeking citizenship but it also puts the safety and security of Americans in great danger,” the resolution added.
Oklahoma Republicans also accused Lankford of violating his oath of office by allowing “several thousand people to invade our borders before any action can be taken.”
In an interview Sunday, Lankford pushed back on the “rumors” that the border deal would allow 5,000 migrants into the country a day.
“Right now these internet rumors is all the people are running on,” Lankford said on Fox News. “It would be absolutely absurd for me to agree to 5,000 people a day. This bill focuses on getting us to zero illegal crossings a day. There’s no amnesty.”
He continued: “It increases the number of border patrol agents, increases asylum officers. It increases detention beds so we can quickly detain and then deport individuals. It ends catch and release. It focuses on additional deportation flights out. It changes our asylum process so that people get a fast asylum screening at a higher standard, and then get returned back to their home country. This is not about letting 5,000 people in a day. This is the most misunderstood section of this proposal.”
