Sunday shows preview: Mayorkas grilled over Title 42; Biden seeks more aid to Ukraine

The Biden administration’s decision to end a Trump-era public health rule and its recent request to Congress for more aid to Ukraine are expected to dominate this Sunday shows circuit.

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas was grilled on Capitol Hill this week over the Biden administration’s plans to lift Title 42 on May 23.

Republicans have expressed their frustrations with the administration’s plans to lift the Trump-era policy, which allowed rapid expulsion of migrants at the border and prohibited them from claiming asylum. GOP lawmakers asserted that the end of the rule will be a detriment to border security. They also said that the rise in migrants would lead to a rise in crime in the U.S.

Research from the Cato Institute in 2020 showed that there was no correlation between crime rates in Texas between 2012 and 2018 and illegal immigration.

At times, the attacks also got personal, including lawmakers who accused Mayorkas of being a liar and accused of being “responsible” for young girls who were being trafficked.

The decision to rescind Title 42 has also garnered backlash from some moderate Democrats, including those viewed as vulnerable in 2022 midterm races.

Sens. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), who are both expected to have tight races this November, have issued their concerns about the move. Hassan said the administration “does not appear to be ready” for a potential influx of migrants while Kelly said it was “wrong.”

Mayorkas is set to appear on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” CNN’s “State of the Union” and  “Fox News Sunday.” Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), ranking member of the House Homeland Security Committee, is scheduled to speak on ABC’s “This Week.”

The Biden administration also requested $33 billion from Congress for aid to Ukraine, including military aid, economic assistance for its government and humanitarian aid. 

The Russian invasion in Ukraine is now into its third month as Moscow launches its renewed offense in southern and eastern Ukraine. 

A senior U.S. defense official said that the United States assessment of the invasion was that “Russian forces are making slow and uneven and, frankly, we would describe it as incremental progress in the Donbas.”

The Pentagon told reporters separately on Friday that Ukrainian troops were being trained by the U.S. in Germany over how to use radars and howitzer artillery systems. 

Ukrainian Ambassador to the U.S. Oksana Markarova is scheduled to appear on ABC’s “This Week.” Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) is set to appear on NBC’s “Meet the Press” and “Fox News Sunday.”

U.S. Agency for International Development administrator Samantha Power is slated to appear on ABC’s “This Week” and CBS’ “Face the Nation.”

Below is the full list of guests scheduled to appear on this week’s Sunday talk shows:

ABC’s “This Week” — Ukrainian Ambassador to the U.S. Oksana Markarova; Samantha Power, administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development; Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas.

NBC’s “Meet the Press” — Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas; Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J.

CBS’ “Face the Nation” — Power; Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill.; Moderna chief medical officer Paul Burton; Deborah Birx, former White House coronavirus response coordinator.

CNN’s “State of the Union” — Mayorkas; Gov. Asa Hutchinson, R-Ark.

“Fox News Sunday” — Mayorkas; Menendez.

Fox News’s “Sunday Morning Futures” — Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.), Newt Gingrich, Fmr. Speaker of the House, Devin Nunes, CEO of Truth Social, Kari Lake, Arizona Gubernatorial Candidate