The political standoff over additional aid to Ukraine that some Republicans have demanded be tied to border security reforms appears to have hit a wall.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) hinted to Republicans at a party meeting on Tuesday that the only way to move forward may be to split the two priorities.
Many Republicans in the House have taken a hard-line stance in demanding that Congress create solutions to the unsustainable unlawful migration crisis at the southern border. Since taking office in 2020, the Biden administration has pared back enforcement options and instituted “catch and release” policies that have allowed an estimated 1 million unlawful migrants to enter the country, CBS News reported.
However, the research director for the Center for Immigration Studies, Steven Camarota, said he believes the number could be significantly higher.
“Based on our prior estimates of illegal immigrants, more than half (2.5 million) of the 4.5 million increase in the foreign-born population since January 2021 is likely due to illegal immigration,” according to a report by Camarota.
“The increase during Biden’s first 34 months is unprecedented. What is so striking about the recent run-up in the number of immigrants is that the increase represents a net change, not merely new inflow,” the report reads.
Unnamed Republicans who attended the meeting allegedly suggested that McConnell was laying out possible options to break the stalemate ahead of the upcoming emergency defense supplemental spending package Senate Democrats are currently drafting, The Hill reported.
Additional taxpayer spending on Ukraine remains a sticky proposition among many Republicans. Some have suggested continuing to provide the country with military and humanitarian assistance while cutting back on economic assistance.
Sen. John Thune (R-SD) told The Hill that a pared-down aid package could find Republican support.
“Personally speaking, I’d like to see portions [of economic assistance] pared down. I think the number is really high, and there are a lot of things funded in there. I think a lot of our members are very much for military aid, for lethal aid, particularly given the fact it’s … restocking our arsenals here in this country,” Thune said.
Republicans and Democrats remain miles apart on a solution to the border crisis. Republicans seek a return to Trump-era policies, including “Remain in Mexico,” which significantly restricted the number of unlawful migrants able to enter the United States. Democrats have so far balked at the proposal, preferring to continue with Biden’s parole policy.
Recent negotiations between Senate Republicans and Democrats have resulted in a proposition that Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) said had “zero chance” of passing in the House.
“It ain’t going to pass. … We had a vigorous discussion at lunch yesterday — I asked leadership, ‘Why on earth would you be teeing up a vote with every Democrat and 10 or 12 Republicans that has no chance of passing the House?” Cruz said.
Former President Donald Trump added his two cents recently, stating that Republicans should hold the line on a border deal until all of their demands are met.
