Congress is split over immigration and foreign aid funding

On Saturday, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) announced that a vote will take place this week on new legislation seeking an additional $17.6 billion in US military aid to Israel.

• The move sets up a direct challenge with the Democrat-controlled Senate, which is currently negotiating a broader spending package that covers Ukraine, Taiwan, and the southern US border.

Better together apart

The Senate’s bill would send ~$95 billion in foreign aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, as well as $18.5 billion towards stricter immigration enforcement at the US-Mexico border. The new border measures include increasing the amount of detentions and deportations, as well as making it more difficult for migrants to claim asylum.

• But Speaker Johnson and the GOP-controlled House say the Senate’s bill is dead-on-arrival once it reaches the House.
• Instead, House Republicans are pushing for a split approach that would address Israel’s war effort separately from Ukraine, Taiwan, and the US southern border.

The arguments:

• Democrats: President Biden and congressional Democrats frame the passage of more foreign aid as a make-or-break moment for Western-style governments against authoritarian leaders in Russia and China. They also argue more border funds are necessary to prevent the US immigration system from overflowing, due to a surge in unauthorized migrants.
• Republicans: Many congressional Republicans say the border security measures included in the Senate’s bill aren’t strict enough to slow down or prevent unauthorized immigration. Some GOP lawmakers also believe the US should stop funding Ukraine to the tune of $75+ billion over the past two years, and instead use the money on domestic issues like immigration.

👀 Looking ahead… Both chambers of Congress are scheduled to hold votes on their respective spending packages later this week.

📊 Flash poll: Which of the following congressional options do you most agree with?

• The Senate bill (aid to Ukraine/Israel/Taiwan and funds for border security)
• The House bill (only aid to Israel, with further discussion on other areas)
• Funding for immigration, but not foreign aid
• Funding for some or all foreign aid, but not immigration
• No funding at all
• Other