WASHINGTON, DC – Republicans in the U.S. Senate on Wednesday defeated a bipartisan agreement that would have imposed tougher immigration and asylum laws in a vote of 49-50.
The passing of the long-anticipated border security deal came to an unexpected failure for Democrats on Wednesday as not enough votes were secured for legislation. The package, which would have aimed to reduce record-high crossings at the southern border and tighten an overwhelmed asylum system, seemingly failed after former President Donald Trump weighed in and told Congressional Republicans to oppose the bill. The $118 billion package also included critical aid to Israel and Ukraine, with U.S. aid to Ukraine now at risk of ending completely. In the end, just four Republicans voted for it. Even Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell, who himself helped to develop the package, voted against it. The bill, which was months in the making, is a devastating loss. The agreement would have marked the first comprehensive border security policy overhaul in decades and given the president far-reaching powers to tighten restrictions on unlawful border crossings. This decision came just one day after an embarrassing Republican defeat to try and impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. An unexpected appearance from one Democrat and three Republican defections sunk the impeachment in a vote of 216 to 214.
Concerns over immigration have become a top issue in this year’s election campaign, with the failure of the bipartisan agreement being just its latest development.