WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – Talks of a border deal in the Senate have hit a stalemate. Senate Republicans and Democrats both say they don’t like the current deal that is being crafted, delaying the passage of President Joe Biden’s $106 billion supplemental funding request for aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan.
Texas Democrat Veronica Escobar says for decades, immigration reform has stalled in Congress.
“It’s been 37 years since there has been comprehensive immigration reform.”
Senate Republicans were hopeful the dry spell was over.
Sen. Roger Marshall of Kansas said, “This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to secure our border.”
Republicans are demanding tougher border security policies in exchange for their support for President Biden’s $106 billion supplemental funding request that includes aid for Ukraine and Israel.
Republicans will not allow the supplemental appropriation to proceed unless there are satisfactory policy changes that are designed to stop or stem the flow of people across the border.
But Democrats say Republicans’ demands are unreasonable and are accusing Republicans of holding emergency aid for Ukraine hostage.
Hawaii Democrat Mazie Hirono says the Republican proposal would make the border crisis even worse.
“Pitting vulnerable groups against each other. Ukrainians fighting an unjust invasion and asylum seekers fleeing persecution is a recipe for bad policy making.”
Democrats tried to tack on citizenship for Dreamers to the Republican’s plan but that was shot down and with both sides not willing to budge, a border deal by Christmas seems more and more unlikely.
