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Washington, DC
CNN
—
The growing urgency of the White House to pass the Ukraine aid has forced the Democrats to plan the immigration policy that they had previously tied to the former President Donald Trump, infuriating the allies. of President Joe Biden and emphasized the difficulty of the immigration debate.
It’s a dangerous time to bring together some of Biden’s—and the Democrats’—most vexing political issues. The president has grappled with the increase in immigration on the U.S.-Mexico border several times during his administration in the face of unprecedented immigration to the Western Hemisphere, but wars in Ukraine and Gaza formed the center of the foreign policy challenges of his presidency. it’s the eve of an election year.
Following Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to Washington this week, Biden reiterated his openness to border policy changes in exchange for aid for Ukraine, securing one of the country’s biggest political issues. so sensitive for this White House in the middle of its exterior. policies and, in turn, put Democrats at the disadvantage of supporting policies they once criticized.
“Obviously the Democrats are in the box because they want to take Ukraine’s aid as soon as possible but the Republicans have made it clear that they will not move the package without border protection ,” said Kerri Talbot, executive director at the Immigration Hub.
“It’s a sad day that they’re thinking about such horrible things,” Talbot said.
The admissions that have been threatened by the administration in recent days are, in some cases, an extension of private conversations held in the White House during the course of the presidency of Biden that were obtained from foreign politicians, of told CNN.
One of them included a request for a safe third country to stop asylum seekers who passed through other countries. That idea was eventually scrapped and appears to no longer be a part of current border discussions.
White House officials, for a long time, also relied on a program known as Title 42 to quickly return immigrants detained at the border and later expanded its use. The White House has supported a waiver as part of the ongoing border debate that appears to have similar effects to Title 42. it’s border control, which kicks in the eviction. in the situation, said one source.
The White House is also open to raising the alarming level of fear for asylum seekers, mass deportations and extended detention, sources say. Taken together, the proposals would mark a major shift in immigration law and lead to major White House concessions.
The US Sen. Alex Padilla and Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair Nanette Barragán, California Democrats, released a statement this week pushing back on Republican immigration proposals and urging Biden to reject them. And, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus held a press conference on Wednesday to push back on some of the policies the administration is considering.
“Republicans continue to withhold funds for America’s allies to stop at the expense of immigrants and to pass Trump’s border policies,” Barragán said. “Republicans are pitting vulnerable groups against each other with aggressive policies that will increase tensions along the southern border. We urge the Biden administration to say no. Don’t touch it.” the bait. We are calling on our partners to hold the line.”
For Biden, the current political situation is difficult. Although the loss of support from the base may cost him in the election next November, doing something that can have a wide and lasting effect. In the past few weeks, border concerns have increased, a great liability, argue Republicans, because not only the president but also his fellow Democrats in 2024.
“This is an opportunity. In fact, if I were the president, looking at my numbers in this matter, I would like to do something about it. It might improve his situation,” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said earlier this month.
And Democrats are trying to protect their majority in the Senate as lawmakers face attacks across the border.
“Biden knows that if he doesn’t reduce the flow to four times what we’ve seen in the Trump administration, he’s got a big political problem. And don’t take my word for it, take the your voters are the word of Montana,” said GOP Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina last month, referring to a hotly contested Senate race in the Treasure State.
Republicans and Democrats have been at a standstill for years on immigration. But the scope of a border agreement today is narrower than previous negotiations when more funding for border security was often bundled with the admission of aliens who have been living in the US illegally for a long time.
Travelers are worried about the new approval bar set for future transactions.
“This is a new floor of negotiation for any legalization. The floor is the most serious policy since the 1920s. If that’s where we start, what else would be asked for a simple exchange? said Andrea Flores, vice president for policy and media at FWD.us.
“I’m surprised that some Democrats and the White House will make these big compromises on policy without getting compensation for Dreamers, DACA recipients, visa holders, whatever,” the said the Democratic Rep. Joaquin Castro of Texas.
When asked about the Democratic opposition arising from some of the policies floated by the White House in border talks, Sen. Chris Murphy says that both sides should meet in the middle.
“I think it’s clear that you’re going to need a lot of Democratic votes to pass this because a number of Republicans are not going to vote for Ukraine aid,” the Connecticut Democrat said.
“I think everybody in the room needs to be aware of the fact that you’re going to need both Democratic votes and Republican votes. There’s a package that’s too hot for the Democrats. That’s a package that’s too weak.” for Republicans. That’s why we’re not doing immigration reform,” Murphy added.
Republican Senator John Cornyn of Texas argued that the Democratic opposition is a good sign in the talks: “It means we have to do something right.”
Cornyn said “no” when asked if the White House proposal would be enough.
“It’s a start. It shows that we’re paying attention, but that’s the last thing the president needs,” he said.
A key issue in the border talks is largely the elimination of parole assistance, a system that allows immigrants to stay temporarily in the United States on a case-by-case basis, according to and a common source of discussion.
The Biden administration has relied on the humanitarian parole authority in emergency situations, including accepting Afghans after the US withdrawal from Afghanistan and Ukrainians after the Russian invasion. Other times, the administration has used the authority to allow immigrants from selected countries to live temporarily and work in the US as a way to try to reduce tensions at the US-Mexico border.
But Republicans argue that the administration is using the general authority and are trying to stop its use. It is not clear what the Democrats can accept when it comes to changing the way the parole authority is used, in part because it is an important part of the border control.
“It is a big mistake to tie border money and policies to the financing of two wars,” Castro said. “The issue of migration and border security is one that must be negotiated on their own, not as a condition or subject to foreign aid.”
Lawmakers are divided over whether the Senate should stay in session and try to move forward on a border bill, with negotiators signaling progress and Cornyn saying “it looks like It is not possible” the application can come before the end of the year.
The whip of the Republican Senate John Thune also said “it seems to me” that the senators will stay in Washington this week.
But some members of the Senate said there is an important action that must be presented to Washington even next week.
When asked if they will sit through next week’s meeting, Tillis said, “I hope so.” I hope we are here. I hope we are discussing it, because it needs to be done. We have to do everything – otherwise we push everything to the right. We have the opportunity to get the Senate on the same page, send something to the House, and they get it when they come back.
Members of the US House appear set to leave Washington on Thursday for the rest of the holiday season.