admin
Senator Lindsey Graham did something rare this week: he put principle over pressure and blocked a Trump-backed government spending package he called a bad deal, refusing to let Washington rush past serious questions about policy and process. With a government funding deadline looming, Graham’s hold sent a clear message that not every “deal” cooked up behind closed doors earns automatic conservative buy-in.
The hold was tied up in real policy and accountability concerns, not mindless obstruction. Part of the DHS portion of the package would have repealed a provision letting senators pursue civil remedies after their phone records were subpoenaed during the Arctic Frost probe — a change Graham has long opposed — and he repeatedly warned the Senate that he wouldn’t sign off on weak, one-sided compromises. He made plain that Republicans can negotiate, but not at the expense of oversight or basic protections.
At the same time, Graham is using his leverage for a fight conservatives should be excited about: he introduced legislation to end sanctuary cities forever and pushed for a vote to take up that measure on the Senate floor. Americans tired of blue-city lawlessness want borders enforced and criminals held accountable, not more soft-on-crime experiments that shelter illegal aliens and invite fraud. If Republicans don’t press the advantage on immigration reform and sanctuary jurisdictions, voters will hold them responsible next election cycle.
Washington’s dysfunction showed up everywhere: moderate deals negotiated in the shadow of protests and controversy prompted seven Republicans to join Democrats in blocking the package at one point, forcing short-term stopgaps and more brinksmanship as both parties spar over DHS funding and ICE reforms. The Senate later moved a temporary funding measure to buy time, but the underlying fights over enforcement, accountability and local resistance to federal law remain unresolved. Americans deserve durable solutions, not temporary Band-Aids.
Make no mistake — Graham’s move is the kind of conservative courage the party desperately needs. Too many in Washington would rather check boxes and posture than actually use leverage to win policy wins for law-abiding citizens. Standing up for senators’ privacy, insisting on true immigration enforcement, and refusing to rubber-stamp deals that reward sanctuary jurisdictions is the kind of no-nonsense conservatism that protects hardworking Americans.
If Republicans expect to keep the momentum on border security and law and order, they must follow Graham’s lead and fight for meaningful fixes instead of rolling over for show votes. Call your senator, remind them what you expect, and don’t let Washington swap your safety for political theater. The American people want results — and conservatives should be the ones delivering them.
