Ukraine aid, border security tied in Congress fight

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate is awaiting a breakthrough in bipartisan border security talks as soon as this week to help move Congress forward on $110 billion in supplemental funds for Ukraine, Israel and other national security priorities.

Over the past four months, senators have worked to craft policies for the supplemental fund to address the growing influx of migrants into the United States — a major policy and political issue in a national election year.

“It's not easy. In fact, border security is one of the most difficult things we've undertaken,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said Tuesday. “We're close to reaching a bipartisan agreement on the supplemental, but we are not there yet.”

Schumer and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said they're hoping for a deal soon so the Senate can pass the supplemental funding and send it to the House, where they hope the GOP majority will work with them on a final border security bill.

They stressed Tuesday the border issue is holding up funds for Ukraine in its war with Russia, Israel in its war effort against Hamas, humanitarian aid for Gaza and aid for the Indo-Pacific, where China is threatening U.S. allies.

Migrant influx

Official encounters with migrants entering the U.S. have set records, according to the Migration Policy Institute, a nonprofit Washington think tank.

Since President Joe Biden took office in January 2021 border security personnel have encountered 6.3 million migrants entering through the southern border and have allowed some 2.4 million migrants into the country, according to Homeland Security Department statistics.

The rebounding U.S. economy, job vacancies and the slow-moving U.S. immigration system have been draws for migrants from countries beset with natural disasters and failing economies and governments, said Michelle Mittelstadt, Migration Policy Institute spokeswoman.

Three-legged policy

Senate negotiators are discussing three policies and the money needed for them.

One would limit the number of people granted what immigration officials call parole — a status allowing migrants without visas to live and work here temporarily while awaiting resolution of asylum or other claims.

Republicans call the policy “catch and release” and want a hard cap on the number of individuals granted parole. Democrats say parole is needed for migrants, particularly those fleeing war or failing states. “Parole is the stickler,” said Sen. John Cornyn, (R-Texas).

Another policy is Title 42, used by the Trump administration during the pandemic to keep migrants with asylum or other claims in Mexico. Biden rescinded it. Republicans want it reinstated.

The third is greater use of expedited removal — which can happen as soon as in one day — that allows rapid deportation of immigrants in the U.S. illegally or those with fraudulent documents.

Political hotshot

Border security ranks as a top U.S. political issue, and resolving it remains a priority in the Senate — but not necessarily in the House.

McConnell described the negotiations as the only chance for legislation on the issue.

“I don't think we’d get 60 votes for any border plan if we had a fully Republican government,” he said, referring to the need to overcome a filibuster with 60 votes. “So this is a unique opportunity where divided government has given us an opportunity to get an outcome.”

In the House, some Republicans say they are open to a Senate deal on the border.

"I’ll eagerly review proposals aimed at securing our nation’s porous borders,” said Rep. Anthony D’Esposito (R-Island Park), a member of the House Homeland Security Committee, who added he hopes the Senate will “join House Republicans at the negotiating table.”

But former President Donald Trump opposes the Senate's border proposal talks and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) insists on passage of H.R. 2, a House bill that largely repeals Biden’s policies and restores Trump’s.

“As I've said to him repeatedly and publicly until I'm blue in the face, you can't do this unless it's bipartisan — and that's not a bipartisan solution,” Schumer said. “Senator McConnell and I both believe that the Senate moving first with a hopefully as good a margin as we can get, will then help us prevail upon the House to do something bipartisan as well.”