Hispanic Caucus spells out opposition to GOP border demands in X quote chain

Hispanic Democrats are trumpeting their opposition to any funding bill that includes Republican demands to permanently change border management laws in exchange for aid to Ukraine.

Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) members are making their case through a quote chain on X started by Rep. Rob Menéndez (D-N.J.), as Republicans on both sides of the Capitol dig their heels in on their demands.

“We’re here to have a real conversation to fix our broken immigration system. But we cannot pay this price at the expense of our American values, not as as a nation of immigrants,” wrote Menéndez on the platform formerly known as Twitter.

“I am a NO on a supplemental that includes the GOP’s extreme immigration policies,” he added, “WBU @RepCasar?”

Rep. Greg Casar (D-Texas) followed up saying “House & Senate Democrats must NOT throw asylum seekers under the bus. It’s ridiculous that Republicans are demanding we hurt immigrants in exchange for Ukraine $,” and tagging Rep. Delia Ramírez (D-Ill.).

Ramírez — “I am a HELL NO on a suplemental” — tagged Rep. Sylvia García (D-Texas), who pinged Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García (D-Ill.), who called on CHC Chair Rep. Nanette Barragán (D-Calif.), followed by Rep. Linda Sánchez (D-Calif.), Rep. Norma Torres (D-Calif.), and Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.).

Frost tagged Rep. Robert García (D-Calif.), who at the time of this writing has yet to respond.

The social media chain underscores a push by the CHC to show its voting muscle and intent to become the gatekeeper of immigration legislation, in the model of the Congressional Black Caucus’s (CBC) influence over civil rights bills.

The CHC has 38 voting members in the House and four in the Senate, and has some measure of support from the CBC, the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus and the Congressional Progressive Caucus on the issue.

But the CHC is weary of past instances when its reclamations on immigration bills have been overlooked in favor of other Democratic priorities — a real danger as Republicans have vowed to stick to their demands even at the risk of abandoning Ukraine.

The CHC quote chain was in part precipitated by Republican bluster on the issue, specifically a statement by Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), closing the door on any attempts to negotiate the bill’s border provisions.

“There’s a misunderstanding on the part of [Senate Majority Leader] Sen. [Chuck] Schumer [D-N.Y.] and some of our Democratic friends. This is not a traditional negotiation, where we expect to come up with a bipartisan compromise on the border. This is a price that has to be paid in order to get the supplemental,” Cornyn told NBC News.