John Cornyn to introduce border and immigration security bill

Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn plans to introduce a border security bill Thursday that would extend the southwestern border wall and boost interior enforcement of the nation's immigration laws, including through a so-called sanctuary city provision.

"We are going to have some legislation that provides a plan that deals not just with individual pieces of infrastructure but a border-wide plan that involves a lot of work from both sides of the aisle and both sides of the Capitol," Cornyn, R-Texas, told the Washington Examiner.

Cornyn collaborated on his legislation with House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, R-Texas, but the two have produced different bills.

McCaul introduced legislation last week that deals only with border security and does not address interior enforcement. It does not include a sanctuary city provision, which would restrict federal funding cities that do not comply with federal immigration laws. The House this summer passed such a measure in separate legislation that has not been considered in the Senate.

The McCaul bill authorizes $10 billion for a southern border wall and technology to combat illegal immigration, adds $5 billion for targeting illegal ports of entry and would add 10,000 customs and border patrol agents.