US Senate unveils $118bn deal on border, aid for Israel and Ukraine

US Senate unveils $118bn deal on border, aid for Israel and Ukraine


President Joe Biden is calling on Congress to quickly pass a bill after months of wrangling over immigration and support for Kyiv.

The US Senate has unveiled a $118 billion bipartisan deal to boost border security and provide war aid to Israel and Ukraine.

US President Joe Biden and Democratic and Republican leaders in the Senate have pushed to restore war aid to Ukraine, but faced resistance from conservative Republicans who insisted on measures to combat illegal immigration at the border with Mexico.

The bill announced Sunday would provide $60 billion in aid to Ukraine, whose efforts to push back the Russian invasion have been hampered by a halt to U.S. shipments of ammunition and missiles.

The deal would also provide $14.1 billion in military aid to Israel: $2.44 billion for security in the Red Sea, where Yemen’s Houthi rebels have carried out dozens of attacks on commercial shipping, and $4.83 billion Billions of dollars to support partners in Asia, where tensions have increased between China and Taiwan.

Under the deal, the president would be given new powers to immediately expel migrants if authorities are overwhelmed with asylum claims, and applications at the border would be subject to faster and stricter enforcement.

Illegal immigration is expected to be a key issue in November’s presidential election, with Republican front-runner Donald Trump campaigning heavily on claims of an “invasion” from the southern border.

Biden on Sunday called on Congress to “quickly pass” the deal so he could sign it into law, warning Republicans who have expressed concern about border security that “doing nothing is not an option.”

“Now we have reached agreement on a bipartisan national security agreement that includes the toughest and fairest border reforms in decades. I strongly support it,” Biden said in a statement.

Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said he planned to vote on the bill on Wednesday, but the package’s prospects remained uncertain in both the upper chamber and the House of Representatives amid skepticism from Republicans, including Speaker Mike Johnson.

“The Senate’s bipartisan agreement is a monumental step toward strengthening America’s national security abroad and along our borders,” Schumer said in a statement.

“This is one of the most necessary and important bills Congress has put forward in years to ensure America’s future prosperity and security.”

In an interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday, Johnson, who had previously declared the package “unpaid,” said his efforts to include House Republicans in the Senate deal had been rebuffed, and reiterated his support for a package of tough immigration measures in the House of Representatives.

“What we’re saying is you’ve got to stem the flow,” Johnson said.

The package’s support for Israel could also face opposition from some Democrats.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont, has called for eliminating $10 billion earmarked for assault weapons while maintaining funding for defense systems.



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