United States President Joe Biden has proposed changes to US border policy that raise prospects for a bipartisan deal on immigration and assistance to Ukraine.
Republican senators announced this on Wednesday, writes Bloomberg.
Republicans met behind closed doors to weigh in on the oral proposal, which came after Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas met with senators for nearly two hours Tuesday night.
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According to Republican Senator Tom Tillis, the proposal would give the president expanded powers to deport migrants after a certain number of undocumented migrants cross the border. But hardline Republicans said the proposal was too soft.
— Now that the White House is involved, the traffic jam has moved a little, — said Ohio Republican J.D. Vance after a briefing on the proposal.
However, according to him, the final agreement will not be ready “in the near future”.
The Biden and 45th US President Donald Trump administrations used a similar migrant expulsion policy, known as Title 42, on public health grounds during the Covid-19 pandemic. But immigrant rights advocates argue the policy would deny vulnerable migrants the right to seek asylum in the United States.
Thom Tillis, a key negotiator, said Republicans should add some “meat” to the White House proposal and “check if they are serious”.
But the GOP's chief negotiator, Senator James Lankford, said there was nothing on paper from the White House yet.
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U.S. Senate and House Republicans have made border changes a prerequisite for approving the $61 billion aid package for the Russo-Ukrainian war requested by the Biden government.
On Tuesday, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky visited Capitol Hill to ask for more help.
Tillis and Democratic lead negotiator Chris Murphy said Congress should remain on the floor until an agreement is reached.
