Congress debated a supplemental funding request for $105 billion to aid Ukraine and Israel, to contain China’s influence. to invest in defense manufacturing in the U.S., and to both manage the influx of migrants at the border while providing humanitarian aid to them. Republicans in the House of Representative have tried to peel off just the Israeli aid, eliminating the Ukraine funding and any humanitarian aid for Gaza.
Senator Ted Cruz, a Republican from Texas, called it “a joke” because the “funding that they call quote ‘border security’ is not designed to reduce even one illegal immigrant,” likely referring to the fact that is for hiring additional Border Patrol agents and asylum officers to process more paperwork. He said it would be used to “process more illegal immigrants, faster.” Instead, he wants Border Patrols agents to have more autonomy to deport people on sight.
The funding request was already a tough sell — it has faced many challenges, including the three weeks that the House of Representatives could not function because there was no Speaker of the House. It is considered a crucial piece of the Democratic strategy for international affairs and national security.
