Pathetic. Republicans, who control the Senate, still managed to fail in their recent efforts to change a federal immigration law that allows funding of sanctuary cities. 

The measure, which sought to block congressional funding for sanctuary cities, lost 53-44, Fox News reports. In addition, the Senate Republicans also failed to garner enough votes to advance their "Kate’s Law – named after Kate Steinle, a 32-year-old woman who was allegedly fatally shot by an illegal immigrant in July 2015. Her killer had a dubious track record comprising multiple felony convictions and prior deportations.

"How many times does this have to happen?” Pennsylvania GOP Sen. Pat Toomey asked. "At some point, a person needs to go to jail. That’s what Kate’s Law does."

Not according to Democrats, who again placed pandering politics above the safety of their constituents. 

Chief among the panderers was Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, who said the Republican measures would put GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump's "ant-immigration rhetoric into action."

“These bills follow Trump’s lead in demonizing, criminalizing immigrant, Latino families,” Reid stated. 

In addition, the White House issued a statement after the vote on Kate’s Law, in part saying: “The bill fails to offer the comprehensive reforms needed to fix the Nation's broken immigration laws and would impose severe and unprecedented mandatory minimum sentences that would undermine the discretion of federal judges to make sure the punishment fits the crime in each case.”

What is perhaps most disturbing is the very matter-of-fact way those who oppose illegal immigration -- "illegal" being the operative word -- or who are justly concerned about the potential security risk posed by incoming refugees who cannot be properly vetted -- are without hesitation, labeled "racists." And lawmakers who push for measures to keep Americans safe are dismissed accordingly.