Unexpected Assistance for Bipartisan Immigration Deal
An unexpected source of support has come forth to aid members of Congress working on a bipartisan immigration deal. This unusual help is being provided by blue cities and states that are facing a surge in new migrants. The pressure on Democratic mayors and governors to provide shelter and services to hundreds of thousands of newcomers has led to a convergence of support for Republican-driven changes to migration-control policy.
Democratic leaders from blue states such as Chicago and Massachusetts have urged Congress to adopt stricter immigration policies, such as bolstering border security. Surprisingly, this aligns with the position of many GOP leaders. The lobbying efforts from local Democrats coincide with Republican lawmakers expressing a desire for a border agreement attached to a sweeping deal on aid for Ukraine and Israel. Nevertheless, it remains to be seen if this uncommon coalition will be sufficient to break through the long-running complexity of past attempts at a bipartisan immigration package.
Lawmakers are evaluating President Joe Biden’s request for billions in assistance for these two countries as early as next week, despite pushback from progressive Democrats who believe that Republicans’ immigration policies go too far.
There is growing openness amongst Democratic senators and House members to consider some border changes as the pressure builds on them to act. Leaders from cities like New York and Chicago are particularly feeling the urgency of the situation as the migrant crisis takes a toll on their budgets and resources.
New York City’s Mayor Eric Adams and his counterpart in Chicago, Brandon Johnson, are emphasizing the pressing challenge they face in managing the surge of migrants arriving in their cities. Jackson, who has long advocated for migrant rights, also urged more action out of Washington. Likewise, other cities and states have reiterated similar calls for immediate federal action to address the border problem.
The proposal for a $106 billion supplemental aid package has garnered support from nearly 140 members of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, making a unified call for Congress to fix the nation’s broken immigration system.
Overall, it is evident that the immediate and pressing needs of cities are being heard through the halls of Congress. Lawmakers are increasingly open to including border changes as part of a broader aid package, signaling a potential path forward for the bipartisan immigration deal that has long evaded them.
