Immigration is becoming an "election-year nightmare" for Republicans, the Wall Street Journal editorial board wrote.
"Are Republicans trying to lose their majorities in Congress this November? We assume not, but you can’t tell from the party’s internal feuding over immigration that is fast becoming an election-year nightmare over separating immigrant children from their parents," the board wrote.
Democrats are pointing out the Donald Trump administration’s "zero tolerance" policy, in which children of immigrants are placed into tent encampments while their parents are processed for deporting, the board noted.
"Trump officials are defending the policy as a deterrent to illegal entry, but surely they understand that separating parents from children is morally unacceptable and politically unsustainable," the board wrote.
A minority of House Republicans continues to block a bipartisan compromise that would solve the problem of Dreamers, people brought to the U.S. as children by illegal immigrants. Former White House aide Steve Bannon said that a compromise would be "amnesty" for the Dreamers.
"This is what happens when restrictionists have a veto over GOP policy," the board wrote. That group does not want immigration reform to pass so they can use it to push conservatives to turn out to vote in November, the board wrote.
"This is self-destructive politics. This year is the GOP’s best opportunity for immigration reform in a decade," the board wrote.
Immigration reform is the key to control the House of Representatives, the report said. Passing the bipartisan compromise would take away a tool that the Democrats could use against them, the board wrote.
"If Mr. Trump wants to lose the House and risk impeachment, he’ll take Mr. Bannon’s bad advice and keep giving Democrats a daily picture of children stripped from their parents," the board wrote.
Trump is set to meet with House Republicans Tuesday to discuss immigration, The Hill reported.
© 2024 Newsmax. All rights reserved.