ANALYSIS/OPINION:

Sen. John McCain is reportedly joining with Democratic colleague Christopher Coons to introduce legislation that gives Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals’ illegals a path to citizenship, but denies President Donald Trump his funding to build a wall.

McCain giving the Democrats what they want at the expense of the Republicans — now there’s something you don’t see every day, right? Not.

A Republican in the House, Rep. Will Hurd, has introduced a companion measure, along with Democrat Pete Aguilar, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Once again, Republicans are caving to Democrats and refusing to fight for a key element in controlling the border. Makes a voter wonder why bother to vote at all, yes?

The idea, ostensibly, is that Republicans and Democrats want to fund the government and avoid another shut-down scenario, as The Hill noted. But let’s remember: The wall — or at least a fence, which some argue is one and the same as a wall — has already been approved. Back in 2006, Congress passed the Secure Fence Act, signed into law by then-President George W. Bush. It was never funded. But the border protection is both old and constitutionally rubber-stamped.

Conversely, creating a pathway to citizen for the so-called “Dreamers” is the newer matter — and one that was never legislatively approved. DACA was a dream of the Barack Obama White House, a solo executive act and a loud smack in the face of good constitutional governance.

Yet this is where the Republican-dominated Congress has chosen to place its priorities?

Trump has made the wall a key facet of his border control; he simply wants the funding to help finish the job Congress promised back in 2006.

Republicans unwilling to stand the media fires say they don’t have the 60-vote voice needed to win a border wall deal in the Senate. But thing is, Trump already won once by standing up to Democrats and calling their bluff. When the government shut down for three days in January, it was Sen. Chuck Schumer who capitulated and signed on to a short-term budget deal, not Republicans. It was Democrats who blinked first.

Since, Trump’s agreed to a pathway to citizenship for 1.8 million illegals in exchange for an end to chain migration and funding for a border wall, as well as a couple other items. And what do Republicans do?

Flee Trump’s side and jump to help the Democrats.

If only McCain would lead a charge for his own party once in a while — if only Republicans would put up a fight for the voters who put them into office in the first place.

• Cheryl Chumley can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter, @ckchumley.

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