GOP/HOUSE OF REPS/IMMIGRATION/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The House on Wednesday [6-27-18] rejected an immigration bill devised as a compromise between different wings of the GOP, in a defeat for centrist Republicans aiming to show progress on the contentious issue before the midterm elections. With Democrats opposed to what they saw as the bill’s harsh treatment of immigrants, Republican leaders faced the task of corralling a majority from the members of their divided conference—and with only lukewarm support from President Donald Trump. It proved too difficult. House Speaker Paul Ryan (R., Wis.) had played down expectations of passage, saying Tuesday [6-26-18] he goal was to ‘do as well as we possibly can.’ The vote failed with 121 in favor and 301 opposed. Republican leaders now turn their attention to taking up legislation as soon as Thursday that responds to the separation of children from their parents resulting from a Trump administration policy of prosecuting adult migrants for entering the country illegally. A longstanding court agreement known as the Flores settlement prevents children from being jailed for more than 20 days, even with their parents. As a result, the administration had argued, Congress needed to change the laws to prevent the breakup of families under a new ‘zero tolerance’ policy instituted in the spring.”
-Siobhan Hughes, “House Defeats GOP Immigration Bill,” The Wall Street Journal, June 27, 2018 2:07 pm