Johnson says he told Biden in meeting U.S. needs 'substantive policy change' at border

House Speaker Mike Johnson said on Wednesday that he told President Biden in a meeting at the White House that the U.S. needs "substantive policy change" at the southern border.

"I told the president what I have been saying for many months, and that is that we must have change at the border, substantive policy change. We documented 64 instances where the president took executive action or his agencies took action to create the current catastrophe that we have at the border. It's a national security and humanitarian catastrophe, and I articulated that to the president in the meeting," Johnson said after the meeting.

"Now, we understand that there's concern about the safety, security sovereignty of Ukraine, but the American people have those same concerns about our own domestic sovereignty, and our safety and our security," he added.

Johnson called for returning to the Remain in Mexico policy and ending catch-and-release that allows federal authorities to release migrants into the U.S. with a notice to appear in court at a later date after they are encountered at the border.

"We must insist that the border be the top priority. I think we have some consensus around that table. Everyone understands the urgency of that," he said. 

He declined to take questions. 

Congressional leaders are currently negotiating a spending package to keep the government funded in addition to a supplemental foreign aid package covering Ukraine, Israel, Palestinian refugees, and U.S. border security.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer told reporters that he puts the "chances a little bit greater than half now" that negotiators will reach an agreement on Ukraine, Israel, Palestinian refugees and the U.S. border.

"It was a very good meeting and a very positive meeting. There was a large amount of agreement around the table, that we must do Ukraine, and we must do border," he said. "You cannot, cannot do things with one party in a divided Congress."

Schumer recalled that "there were a couple of people in the room who said let's do border first" and Democratic leaders "said we have to do both together."

Schumer and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries left without taking questions.