U.S. President Joe Biden's administration is open to compromising on border security provisions with Senate Republicans, in hopes of securing additional funding for Ukraine and Israel, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters.
The U.S. Senate voted 51-49 against a $110 billion funding package on Dec. 6 that contained about $61 billion in aid for Ukraine, along with funding for Israel, countries in the Indo-Pacific, and U.S. border security. All Republicans voted against the legislation, expressing that it did not include enough measures to reduce Mexico-U.S. migrant border crossings.
President Biden said he would be willing to make concessions on border policy, including raising the standard for asylum screenings, implementing a "safe third country" provision, and expanding the fast-track deportation process.
A bipartisan group of senators is discussing a numerical limitation on asylum claims, and negotiations are ongoing to find common ground.
The tight legislative timeline before the congressional holiday recess adds pressure to reach a deal, which has thus far been unattainable due to significant disagreements between the parties on immigration policy.
The White House has warned that the funds to assist Ukraine will be exhausted in the coming weeks unless Congress takes prompt action.
Lance Luo
