The Senate is set to vote on a national security bill next week, including a bipartisan agreement on immigration policy restrictions and a relief package to aid Ukraine and Israel. Despite the Biden administration’s agreement to tie aid to Ukraine to immigration policy, tensions are running high.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced plans for a vote next week, emphasizing the urgent need for a fix at the southern border as well as the critical situation in Ukraine. Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell echoed similar sentiments, emphasizing the need for a border deal and swift aid to Israel and Ukraine.
However, there is resistance within the Lower House, with some lawmakers pushing for immigration policy restrictions prior to approving aid for Ukraine. Georgia Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene has even threatened to file a motion against Johnson if a vote on Ukraine funding is allowed without addressing immigration issues.
Former President Trump has also expressed opposition to the deal, calling it “terrible” and stating that it will not succeed in the House. Some Republican leaders are now questioning whether the border legislation should be removed from the package in a last-ditch effort to secure funding for Ukraine.
Among the proposed changes in the bill is a new authority program of expulsion for asylum seekers, aiming to streamline the process of determining asylum requests at ports of entry and detaining and returning those who request asylum between ports of entry within 10 to 15 days if they fail initial interviews.
Senator James Lankford, the lead Republican negotiator, has been working to dispel misinformation about the project, while independent Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema has stated that rumors about the bill are untrue. Both senators emphasized the importance of border policy reform amid overwhelming waves of migrants crossing the Rio Grande.
Republican Senator Mike Rounds has suggested that false information about the bill may be part of a Russian disinformation campaign to derail economic aid to Ukraine.
As negotiations continue and the test vote approaches, the national security bill remains a contentious issue. The fate of both immigration policy and aid to Ukraine and Israel hangs in the balance.