Democrats Stop Bid To Send 6,000 Troops To Border

President Barack Obama's Democratic allies in the Senate on Thursday killed a move by presidential rival John McCain to send an additional 6,000 National Guard troops to the U.S-Mexico border.

The Arizona Republican says the security situation along the order has deteriorated so badly that 3,000 guard troops are needed just to help protect his state. Even though McCain won support from a dozen Democrats, he failed to muster the 60-vote supermajority required to adopt his plan under Senate rules.

Democrats also repelled more than $2 billion in additional border security spending proposed by border state Republicans John Cornyn of Texas and Jon Kyl of Arizona.

"The borders are broken," McCain said Thursday. "We have an obligation to our citizens to secure our border and allow them to lead lives where they not live in fear."

Kyl proposed expanding a program that throws illegal immigrants in jail for two weeks before deporting them back to Mexico, which he said is a deterrent to them trying again.

Cornyn wanted money for state and local law enforcement agencies, unmanned drone aircraft and other equipment, and additional Border Patrol officers and immigration agents.

Both amendments got 54 votes but fell short of the required 60-vote supermajority.

"Until we deal with this broken border, we are not going to be able to deal with other aspects of our broken immigration system," Cornyn said.

A top Democrat said Republicans were throwing money at the problem and urged waiting until Obama sends up his border security plan next week.

"This is a huge amount of money ... from colleagues who talk fiscal moderation," said Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y. "It's sort of throwing an enormous amount of money at the problem."

More