Some Senate Republicans are pushing for increased border security to be added to the foreign aid bill after a bipartisan immigration deal collapsed.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) on Thursday introduced an amendment that would add tough border security measures to the foreign aid-only national security supplemental package that would send billions of dollars to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. .
“It is important that Russia loses, [Vladimir] Although President Putin has lost, it is even more urgent to protect the country first. I will fund military aid to Ukraine, but only after the United States enacts meaningful measures to secure our own borders,” Cruz told FOX News Digital.
Cruz’s amendment is identical to HR 2, known as the Secure Borders Act, which the House passed last year to reinstate most Trump-era policies and reform the asylum system.
It is considered a “non-starter” by Senate Democrats and has a very low chance of passing. It is unclear whether this amendment will even be voted on.
Senate Republicans prepare for long battle over Ukraine and aid to Israel
Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) (left) and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas). (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik | Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
“HR 2 is the only serious border bill considered this Congress, and it would build a wall, tighten asylum standards, reinstate Remain in Mexico, hire more Border Patrol agents, and provide real solutions to the border crisis. It includes. And more,” Cruz said.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York said he would allow Republicans to introduce amendments, although no date has been set yet.
“We hope that our Republican colleagues can work with us to reach agreement on amendments and move this process forward,” Schumer said on the floor Friday. “As we have shown many times over the past three years, Democrats are willing to bring reasonable and fair amendments to the floor. Still, the Senate will continue to work on this bill until the job is done. .”
But behind the scenes, several aides told Fox News Digital on Friday that “the schedule is still very fluid” and that they have “no idea” what’s going on.
Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) also expressed support for adding HR 2 to the package in a post about X.
Cornyn on Wednesday voted against including the long-awaited bipartisan border bill in the foreign aid package, but suggested he might support aid to Ukraine without border security measures.
“This bill is far from perfect,” Cornyn wrote. “I’m disappointed that the Senate’s border proposal falls far short of actually securing the border, and I’m calling for HR2 to be added to this bill. But because of President Biden’s terrible border policies, We cannot allow support to our troops and allies to be hindered.”
Senators this week voted 49-50 to reject an amendment to the national security package that included a bipartisan border bill proposed by Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.). Kristen Sinema, Arizona. Connecticut Democrat Chris Murphy worked with Biden officials to negotiate.
Senate packages tank immigration, foreign aid spending after Republican pushback over border rules
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy (left) and President Biden visit St. Michael’s Cathedral in Kiev, Ukraine, on February 20, 2023. (Reuters/Gleb Galanich)
After the failure of a national security supplement bill with border provisions, Mr. Schumer brought a $95 billion foreign aid bill to the floor as Plan B, which passed by a vote of 67-32 on Wednesday. .
The aid package includes $60 billion for Ukraine, $14 billion for Israel, $9 billion in humanitarian aid for Gaza, and nearly $5 billion for the Indo-Pacific.
Many Republicans have previously said they would not approve additional funding for Ukraine unless it first secures a controlled southern border.
The Senate is expected to take further procedural votes on Friday and over the weekend. A vote is also scheduled for Sunday’s Super Bowl, and aides told Fox News Digital that a final vote on passage could come as early as Tuesday.
Israel-Ukraine foreign aid bill clears first hurdle in Senate without border and immigration provisions
Migrants wait to be processed by U.S. Border Patrol after crossing the border from Mexico in Yuma, Arizona, on August 6, 2022. (Qian Weizhong/VCG, via Getty Images)
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republican minority leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), a strong supporter of Ukraine, advocated funding for Ukraine and voted to advance the bill, but urged lawmakers not to pass foreign aid without securing the border. This led to criticism from party members who had asked for more.
After senators voted to kill the border bill, McConnell said he was “following instructions” from the Republican conference, which “insisted on working on this bill in October.”
“So it’s our side that actually wanted to address the border issue,” McConnell said this week.
