Senate Republicans demand border security as condition for Ukraine aid

Senate Republicans proposed U.S. border security measures as a condition for more aid to Ukraine in a plan that includes curtailing humanitarian parole for people who come into the country, resuming construction on some of the U.S.-Mexico border wall and tightening asylum qualifications.

Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and James Lankford, R-Okla., released the proposal Monday, according to The Associated Press.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said that adding more border security is the "best way to get nine Republican senators on board," which would be needed to overcome a filibuster and pass the bill with 60 votes, assuming all Democrats support the legislation. 

President Joe Biden last month sent Congress a $105 billion Ukraine and Israel aid request, which included $14 billion to deal with the influx of illegal immigrants at the southern border, but Republicans are demanding more for the border and are pushing for border policy changes to be connected to Israel and Ukraine aid.

While there is bipartisan support for Israel aid in Congress, Republicans have increasingly become wary of sending aid to Ukraine more than a year and a half after Russia's invasion. Many lawmakers are stressing that supporting Ukraine is as important as securing the U.S. border. 

"We’re not going to try to secure other countries and not secure ours," Lankford said. 

The demand for border security comes after U.S. Border Patrol reported a record number of more than 3.2 million illegal immigrant encounters last fiscal year.

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