President Joe Biden said that the border deal being negotiated in the U.S. Senate was the "toughest and fairest" set of reforms possible and vowed to shut down the border the day he signs the bill

President Joe Biden said that the border deal being negotiated in the U.S. Senate was the "toughest and fairest" set of reforms possible and vowed to shut down the border the day he signs the bill, per Reuters.


"This proposed legislation, if enacted, would mark the most robust and equitable set of reforms aimed at securing our border in the history of our nation," President Biden stated. "It grants me, as President, a new emergency authority to close the border in instances of overwhelming challenges. Upon signing the bill into law, I would promptly exercise this authority."

President Biden's remarks follow crucial developments in bipartisan U.S. Senate negotiations on a border security deal, which some have linked as a prerequisite for further aid to Ukraine, as outlined by lawmakers on Thursday. A select group of senators has been engaged in lengthy discussions to reach an agreement addressing the influx of migrants across the U.S.-Mexico border.

Within these negotiations, the White House has agreed to establish a new authority for the expulsion of migrants. This authority would enable the rapid return of individuals who illegally cross the U.S.-Mexico border to Mexico, particularly when daily apprehensions exceed 4,000. If apprehensions surpass 5,000 per day, the mandatory use of this expulsion authority would be activated. Notably, December reported daily apprehensions averaging over 8,000, according to U.S. government statistics.

This proposed authority bears similarities to the COVID-era Title 42 policy implemented by former President Donald Trump during the pandemic, which President Biden terminated in May 2023. However, the ongoing negotiations face increasing resistance from Republicans aligned with Donald Trump, who has voiced concerns via social media against any deal that falls short of meeting Republicans' expectations on border control.

Earlier in the day, U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson conveyed that the Senate border deal, in its current form, is "dead on arrival," as reported by CNN, citing a letter to Republican lawmakers in the House of Representatives. Republicans aligned with Trump have become more vocal in their skepticism, amplifying concerns since the former president's warnings about any deal that does not fully address their demands to secure border crossings.

Complications in these negotiations are also affecting emergency funding for Ukraine, as Republicans in the U.S. Congress are linking it to efforts to enhance security along the U.S.-Mexico border. President Biden, in addition to addressing these negotiations, urged Congress to allocate the funding requested in October to reinforce border security. He emphasized the need for additional resources, including more border patrol agents, immigration judges, asylum officers, and advanced inspection machines to combat the influx of fentanyl at the southwest border.