John Cornyn
ON THE RECORD · 12 verbatim quotes · every quote source-verified
“My constituents believe that the 1,000-foot riverbank cliffs and remote Big Bend terrain offers its own source of deterrence for any illegal migrants crossing into the United States. The dangerous terrain includes steep mountains, deep canyons, and expansive deserts which they believe act a natural barrier that limits large-scale movements,”
John Cornyn · said date not stated · reported 2026-08-17
Cornyn wrote to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin raising concerns about the border construction in Big Bend.
“And all we’re doing is asking them to put that in writing.”
John Cornyn · said date not stated · reported 2026-07-31
Cornyn said senators are asking the administration to put their assurances about the settlement scope in writing.
“I think as far as Blanche and the Department of Justice, we were pretty much on the same page,”
John Cornyn · said 2026-07-30 · reported 2026-07-31
Cornyn said the senators and the Department of Justice were largely in agreement on the settlement.
“But then when the president got wind of it, he wasn’t willing to go along with it.”
John Cornyn · said 2026-07-30 · reported 2026-07-31
Cornyn said Trump was unwilling to go along with the agreement reached between senators and the DOJ.
“Todd Blanche said it was limited to the parties to the litigation — and it was retrospective, not prospective,”
John Cornyn · said date not stated · reported 2026-07-31
Cornyn described Blanche's explanation that the tax audit immunity in the settlement was limited to parties in the litigation and was retrospective.
“I don’t know who, but this doesn’t need to be this hard.”
John Cornyn · said 2026-07-30 · reported 2026-07-30
Cornyn said he did not know who was resisting but that resolving the issue should not be difficult.
“We’re just on the front line because we’re in the Judiciary [Committee],”
John Cornyn · said date not stated · reported 2026-07-30
Cornyn said he and Tillis are the visible objectors because they serve on the Judiciary Committee.
“I mean, it suggests to me as they are looking for an out to do something different than what Todd Blanche testified to at his hearing, and that’s a problem,”
John Cornyn · said 2026-07-30 · reported 2026-07-30
Cornyn suggested the DOJ was looking for a way to deviate from Blanche's sworn testimony.
“is mistaken if he believes concerns about the provisions in his tax lawsuit settlement are limited to me and Senator Tillis.”
John Cornyn · said date not stated · reported 2026-07-30
Cornyn responded on X to Trump's post, saying concerns about the tax lawsuit settlement provisions are not limited to him and Tillis.
“But apparently, he’s getting some pushback from higher-ups at the White House,”
John Cornyn · said 2026-07-30 · reported 2026-07-30
Cornyn said Blanche was receiving pushback from higher-ups at the White House.
“if this were just between me and Todd Blanche, we would have worked this out.”
John Cornyn · said 2026-07-30 · reported 2026-07-30
Cornyn told reporters he believed the issue would have been resolved if it were only between him and Blanche.
“The fact that they’re balking at putting that in writing tells me that they were hoping to get by with this settlement agreement and his testimony and then revitalize those provisions at a later date and that’s, I don’t think, good-faith negotiations,”
John Cornyn · said 2026-07-30 · reported 2026-07-30
Cornyn said the Justice Department's reluctance to put commitments in writing suggested they might revive the settlement provisions later.