Republican senators listened to the White House proposal on protecting the US border in the context of the agreement on assistance to Ukraine.
US President Joe Biden has proposed changes to border policy regarding migrants, raising prospects of reaching a bipartisan agreement on aid to Ukraine.
This was reported by Bloomberg with reference to Republican senators after their almost two-hour meeting with Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, who voiced this oral proposal.
According to Republican Senator Thom Tillis, the proposal would give the president expanded powers to deport migrants once a certain number of undocumented migrants cross the border.
The publication noted, that the Biden and former President Donald Trump administrations used a similar migrant expulsion policy, known as Chapter 42, for public health reasons during the Covid-19 pandemic.
But immigrant rights advocates argue that such policies would deny vulnerable migrants the right to seek asylum in the United States.
Tillis, who is a key negotiator, said Republicans should “add a little more” to the White House proposal and “see if it's serious or not.”
Another Republican, Ohio Senator James David Vance, noted that the White House's intervention had cleared up the issue a little, but stressed that a final agreement would not be ready “any time soon.”
Chief GOP negotiator, Senator James Lankford, said there is nothing on paper from the White House yet.
Senate and House Republicans have made changes to U.S. border policy a prerequisite for approval of the $61 billion Ukraine aid package the Biden administration is asking for approval.
Republican Thom Tillis and Democratic lead negotiator Chris Murphy said Congress should remain in session until they reach an agreement.
Recall that President Vladimir Zelensky said that during his visit to the United States he received a positive signal regarding American support for Ukraine.
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