The Senate has come out with a $118 billion compromise that pairs tens of billions of dollars in wartime aid for Ukraine with new border laws aimed at shrinking the historic number of people coming to the U.S. border with Mexico seeking asylum.
The legislation faced almost immediate criticism from Republicans in both chambers, including Kansas Sen. Roger Marshall, who says it doesn’t go far enough on securing the border.
Under the proposal, migrants would not be able to apply for asylum at all if illegal border crossings reach certain thresholds. It requires a similar expulsion authority if the number of migrant encounters tallied by Customs and Border Protection reaches 4,000 people a day over a five day average. At 5,000 people, expulsions would automatically take effect, though Marshall disputes that.
Marshall says he wants to have compassion and do the right thing, but says securing the border first would be the more compassionate thing to do in order to process the unaccompanied children in a “proper fashion.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson has stated the bill is “dead on arrival,” if it reaches the House.
