As a critical week for negotiations looms, Congress is yet to reach a deal on tying immigration and border policy changes to the emergency aid package earmarked for Ukraine and Israel before the holiday recess. Republican Sen. James Lankford and Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy, leading the immigration and border talks, confirmed ongoing discussions in separate interviews on Sunday.
Murphy emphasized that incorporating former President Donald Trump’s immigration policies into statute is unacceptable, characterizing it as detrimental to the country. Despite the impasse, both senators stressed the need to address the border crisis. Murphy warned of severe national security consequences if a deal is not reached, suggesting that Republicans’ focus on immigration reform could embolden Russian President Vladimir Putin in Ukraine.
President Joe Biden is set to host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday to discuss Ukraine’s urgent needs. Senate leaders Schumer and McConnell have invited Zelensky to speak at an all-senators meeting, while House Speaker Mike Johnson will meet with him at the Capitol. As a critical week
However, the news of Zelensky’s visit faced criticism from some Republicans, such as Sen. J.D. Vance, who expressed concern about prioritizing Ukraine’s border over the U.S. border crisis.
While President Biden signaled a willingness to compromise on border security, the House Republicans’ insistence on aligning with their border bill, HR 2, poses a challenge, with many Democrats deeming it a nonstarter. The negotiations come at a critical juncture as lawmakers seek to finalize the emergency aid package before the holiday recess.