Agreement on legislation to spend more on US border security while also helping Ukraine and Israel was near death Thursday, with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell turning away from touting the legislation as more details of the proposal emerged.
McConnell (R-Ky.), 81, forcefully made the case on the Senate floor Wednesday in favor of the $106 billion package, first requested by President Biden in October.
“This is in the direct interest of the United States so that authoritarians do not feel free to redraw the map by force,” he said of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war machine, adding that “the Senate will soon have the opportunity to restore our sovereignty on the southern border.”
But McConnell did not mention either Ukraine or the border in a floor speech Thursday morning after hardline Republicans complained to reporters that their caucus had lost “leverage” over the deal.
McConnell also privately acknowledged at his conference Wednesday afternoon that with former President Donald Trump on a glide path to the 2024 GOP nomination, Senate Republicans “don’t want to do anything to undermine him,” Punchbowl News reported.
A Senate deal on US border security appears dead, as GOP Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has turned away from touting the legislation following a leaked draft of its provisions. Getty Images McConnell privately acknowledged that with former President Donald Trump on track to capture the 2024 Republican nomination, Senate Republicans “don’t want to do anything to undermine him.” AFP via Getty Images
“Good to see Leader McConnell finally come to his senses before giving Democrats everything they could ask for and more in a borderline pivot re-election year,” a national GOP strategist told The Post of McConnell’s move.
But other Republican Senate aides insisted to The Post that McConnell’s remarks had been an analysis of their current predicament. The minority leader made it clear in Thursday’s conference meeting that he still supports the deal despite it being an election year, they added.
Retiring Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah). told CNN that Trump’s alleged influence in the talks was “terrible,” adding that the former president “doesn’t want us to solve the border problem because he wants to blame Biden.”
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) also issued a stark warning in his floor speech Wednesday, saying that if lawmakers do not approve the $61.4 billion earmarked in the bill for Kyiv’s war effort, “Ukraine will fall.”
“Democrats are determined to get things done,” Schumer added Thursday afternoon. “Of course, there are still issues to be resolved, but negotiators will be working throughout the weekend in an effort to resolve them.”
Senator Mitt Romney told CNN that Trump’s intrusion into the discussion was “terrible” and that the former president “doesn’t want us to solve the border problem because he wants to blame Biden.” AFP via Getty Images
Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) and five other GOP senators came forward that evening to denounce the Ukraine/border deal, vowing to block any legislation that would make it “harder” for the next Republican president to crack down on illegal immigration .
“It’s impossible to say for sure what this border deal will contain, because the people who negotiated it refuse to share details with their own parties, but there is reason to believe that it will indeed free thousands of illegal immigrants to America every day, provide jobs .allowing them, and sabotaging a future president from controlling the border,” Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), one of those senators, told The Post.
Some of the bill’s provisions, obtained by The Post from sources Thursday, include things conservative Republicans say they will oppose — including Title 42-style authorities that would only begin deporting immigrants who cross the border illegally when their numbers reach between 4,000 to 5,000 per day.
Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) and five other GOP senators vowed to block any legislation that would make it “harder” for the next Republican president to crack down on illegal immigration. Getty Images
Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) told reporters that former Obama Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson had previously said that just 1,000 immigrants crossing each day would “overwhelm the system.”
Tens of thousands of migrants flying into the country will also receive humanitarian parole at designated airports, while they will be restricted at US borders and ports of entry.
The bill would further provide legal counsel to unaccompanied migrant children under the age of 13 and migrants deemed mentally incompetent – and fund non-governmental groups that help with services such as transport.
Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) told reporters that former Homeland Security secretary Jeh Johnson had previously said just 1,000 immigrants crossing each day would “overwhelm the system.” Getty Images
Other leaked provisions include an increase in immigrant visas to 50,000 annually, as well as additional work visas for spouses and children of highly skilled H-1B foreign technology workers and work permits for immigrants within 180 days of their release from Customs and Protection detention Border to the United States.
A Senate GOP aide confirmed that the content of the leaked draft was “basically accurate” based on the briefing.
Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.), who led negotiations for the bill with Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.), have warned Republicans not to judge the final deal based on leaks of the draft legislation.
One of the bill’s provisions includes Title 42-type authorities that would only begin deporting immigrants who cross the border illegally when their number reaches between 4,000 and 5,000 a day. Reuters
A spokesman for Lankford did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday.
Lee told reporters on Wednesday that he lobbied 40 of his colleagues to vote against the measure if it were placed on the Senate floor, preventing it from passing the 60-vote threshold.
Scott also said the measure is “dead on arrival in the House,” regardless of what the upper house does.
“The only purpose of taking this matter is to get the political cover of the Democrats to say, ‘Holy shit, we want to secure the border. But those pesky House Republicans won’t let us,’” said Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas). AP
“The only purpose of taking this matter is to get the political cover of the Democrats to say, ‘Holy shit, we want to secure the border. But those pesky State Legislators won’t let us,’” Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said during a press conference Wednesday.
“It’s a good thing to talk about. It is complete baloney. But it’s a good thing to talk about. This bill represents the Senate Republican leadership waging war on the House Republican leadership.”
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
