House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) led a group of about 60 GOP members of Congress in a visit to the U.S.-Mexico border near Eagle Pass, Texas, as the Senate and White House hash out a border policy deal.
At a press conference Wednesday afternoon, Johnson said “H.R. 2 is the necessary ingredient” for border security, emphasizing restoring the Trump-era “Remain in Mexico” policy and reforming asylum and parole systems.
Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said Senate negotiators are getting closer to a border policy deal, which will be tied to aid to Ukraine, Israel and more.
Schumer urged House Republicans to let go of their insistence on the policies within H.R. 2, which passed the lower chamber with only Republican support last year.
“It’s very nice you go to the border,” Schumer said Wednesday, “but the way to get something done is work, as we are in the Senate, on a bipartisan solution to the border crisis.”
Also this week: Four ports of entry are reopening Thursday after having closed or restricted operations as Customs and Border Protection reported officer shortages amid record-high migrant arrivals between ports.
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