The resolution called on the Republican senator to ‘cease and desist.’
Oklahoma Republicans on Jan. 27, 2024 censured Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) for leading negotiations with Senate Democrats on a bipartisan border security bill that has largely been rejected by House Republicans.
Mr. Lankford needs to “cease and desist jeopardizing the security and liberty of the people of Oklahoma and of these United States” with the measure, according to the resolution passed by Oklahoma Republican Party (OKGOP) committee members.
“Until Senator Lankford ceases from these actions, the Oklahoma Republican Party will cease all support for him,” the resolution states. “Senator Lankford playing fast and loose with Democrats on our border policy not only disenfranchises legal immigrants seeking citizenship but it also puts the safety and security of Americans in great danger.”
It also noted that, according to reports regarding the Senate bill, the proposal would allow for at least 5,000 illegal immigrants to be let into the United States to work each day. A number of House Republicans have described that proposal as a nonstarter and said it wouldn’t pass.
While Mr. Lankford hasn’t publicly commented on the resolution, he wrote on social media on Jan. 27: “Border security is national security.”
Mr. Lankford’s office didn’t respond by press time on Jan. 28 to a request by The Epoch Times for comment.
Anthony Ferate, former chairman of the Oklahoma GOP, defended the senator on social media. He said the GOP members who approved the measure that condemned Mr. Lankford are part of an “extreme faction” and didn’t provide “an official call to all members of the state committee, including me, to attack” the senator, who was reelected in 2022 and won’t be up or election again until 2028.
“Any vote taken by the OKGOP today was not legitimate and definitely does not represent the voice of all Oklahoma Republicans,” Mr. Ferate wrote.
Reports say Mr. Lankford has been working with Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and others to come to an agreement to deal with the surging number of illegal crossings along the U.S.–Mexico border.
