In recent weeks, Senate GOPers have been unusually vocal about the unprecedented influx of illegal immigrants at the U.S.-Mexico border, a crisis created by Biden administration policies that’s wreaking havoc on communities across the country. On Wednesday, for instance, Senate Republicans blocked a $110.5 billion foreign-aid package proposed by Biden that sought to give tens of billions of U.S. taxpayer dollars to Ukraine, arguing that the measure must include "strict new changes related to asylum" and other border policies before it receives GOP support.
The bill also would have earmarked funds for Israel and "other global hot spots."
"As we’ve said for weeks, legislation that doesn’t include policy changes to secure our borders will not pass the Senate," Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a major proponent of shipping U.S. aid to Ukraine, said.
But Republicans’ push for increased U.S. border security isn’t as heroic as they’re making it out to be. McConnell and Co. aren’t saying they’ll no longer advance more aid to Ukraine altogether. They’re just stating they won’t consider doing so unless funding for U.S. border security comes with it.
In other words, the Republican message to Democrats is: "Give us enough border funding to placate our base, and we’ll keep helping you bankroll Ukraine’s forever war."