Republican Senator James Lankford is facing backlash after alleged details of a comprehensive immigration bill he worked on were leaked over the weekend. The immigration issue has long posed a challenge for lawmakers on Capitol Hill, and with a surge in the number of migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border, Congress is seeking to pass new legislation. According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, there were over 2.4 million encounters at the border during the 2023 fiscal year, a significant increase from previous years.

Republicans, who have been critical of President Joe Biden's immigration approach, are pushing for policies to strengthen border security. On the other hand, some Democrats aim to streamline the immigration process for asylum-seekers. Congressional leaders are currently working towards a deal that could gain support from both the Republican-led House of Representatives and Democratic-led Senate.

The alleged details of the immigration plan were leaked by the conservative-aligned Immigration Accountability Project, sparking outrage among conservatives who view the proposed policies as not conservative enough. It was claimed that the plan would allow for 5,000 migrant crossings per day into the United States, grant work permits to the adult children of H-1B visa holders, and automatically issue work permits to undocumented migrants upon their release from custody.

Senator Lankford, who has been actively engaging with Democrats in negotiations for the immigration deal, has denied any involvement in the leak. Nevertheless, he has faced criticism from conservatives, and there are talks of a resolution condemning him if the Senate moves forward with the deal.

Oklahoma state senator Dusty Deevers took to social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, to share the text of the resolution. The resolution would condemn Lankford if he strikes a deal with Senator Chuck Schumer that permits any amount of illegal entries, grants work permits to illegal aliens, or provides amnesty to them. Deevers emphasized that if Lankford chooses to enforce the law and reject the deal, the resolution would not be submitted.

Conservative influencer Charlie Kirk also expressed his discontent with Lankford's involvement, threatening to organize events and rallies across Oklahoma if Lankford continues to support what Kirk views as an open border betrayal. He promised to make Lankford the least popular senator in America.

In response to the leak, Senator Lankford urged people not to believe everything they read on the internet. He encouraged individuals to read the border security bill before forming judgments. Lankford reminded the public of a quote by Charles Haddon Spurgeon, stating that falsehoods can spread quickly while the truth takes time to catch up.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, indicated that he would not support the legislation if the leaked details are accurate. Johnson shared a photograph on X that displayed key portions of the bill with the caption, "Absolutely not."

Newsweek has reached out to Senator Lankford's office for comment but has not received a response at the time of writing. The leaked immigration bill and the subsequent backlash highlight the challenges faced by lawmakers as they strive to find a bipartisan solution to the pressing immigration issue.