Oklahoma’s Senator Lankford Obsesses Over DREAMers But Won’t Co-Sponsor RAISE Act
09/22/2017
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As I’ve pointed out several times before, Oklahoma is one of the reddest states in the Union but on the National Question has one of the most useless congressional delegations.

But Oklahoma Senator James Lankford’s obsession with the DREAMers is moving him from the “useless on immigration” category to the “downright dangerous on immigration” category.

Lankford plans to submit some sort of legislation to keep the DACA recipients in the United States.

But why? There’s no great outcry for it in Oklahoma. And it’s not likely to help him politically.

Nevertheless, Lankford insists, tweeting on September 22nd that

The tweet contains a link to a schmaltzy news video about Lankford’s heartfelt concern for the DREAMers.

The Senator has had this on his mind since at least September 4th, when The Hill reported that

Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) on Monday [September 4th] responded to a report that said President Trump will end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, saying the United States does not “hold children legally accountable for the actions of their parents.”
But the DREAMers were never being held “legally accountable for the actions of their parents.” It’s just that the DREAMers are illegal aliens also. Why is that so hard to understand?
“It is right for there to be consequences for those who intentionally entered this country illegally,” Lankford said in a statement. “However, we as Americans do not hold children legally accountable for the actions of their parents."
Senator Lankford now has a passion for immigration reform.
“We must confront the nation’s out-of-date immigration policy and finally resolve the issues of strong border enforcement and merit immigration.
So why haven’t you co-sponsored the RAISE Act, Senator Lankford? Do you find illegal aliens to be more worthy of your attention than Oklahoma working class voters and taxpayers?

Lankford is aware of the RAISE Act. Here is a video in which he discusses it and actually makes some sensible comments on our immigration system. Lankford says it should be discussed, but falls short of supporting the RAISE Act. Why?

I would suggest that Lankford’s energy be better spent on promoting the RAISE Act than pushing some new form of DACA, under whatever designation.

In my most recent article on Oklahoma’s dismal delegation (see here), I reported that Lankford’s Numbers USA rating had, over a period of two years fallen from B to C-. That was in March of 2016.

Now, Lankford’s Numbers USA rating in the current Congress is a big fat F-. Once again, that’s F-.

You’ve got to wonder what James Lankford is thinking. Who is he trying to please? Surely not the majority of American voters.  Are there some particular donors steering him this way?

Lankford probably thinks that he can expend his political capital on an amnesty plan for DREAMers without it hurting his political career. The senator is probably right about that, unless enough voters call him out on it.

I would encourage Oklahoma voters to discuss this matter with Senator Lankford. You can contact him here.

 

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