The chief border negotiator says a bilateral agreement has been reached that could be finalized next week
(CNN) — Sen. Chris Murphy, chief negotiator on the border issue, said Sunday that the text of the border settlement could be ready for presentation on the Senate floor next week, adding that negotiators are finalizing the text.
“We have a bipartisan agreement. We’re just finalizing the text,” Murphy told CNN’s Dana Bash on “State of the Union,” adding that the question remains whether Republicans will listen to former President Donald Trump, who tried is To thwart a commitment.
“We are currently finalizing the final details. This bill could be ready to come to the floor of the United States Senate next week. But if Republicans decide they want to keep this issue unresolved for political reasons, it will not succeed,” Connecticut added the Democrat.
Murphy said he was pleased to see President Joe Biden support the emerging agreement. Biden made the pledge at a campaign rally on Saturday, saying he would close the US southern border if given the authority to do so.
“I’m glad to hear the president speak so strongly in favor of this bill. I hope there are enough Republicans in the Senate who want to solve the problem at the border instead of just following Donald Trump’s orders, but we’ll see. If that’s the case, the next 24 to 48 hours,” Murphy said.
Components of the agreement include new powers that allow the president to close the border between ports of entry when illegal crossings reach high levels, reform the asylum system to resolve cases in a shorter period of time and speed up work permits.
Senator Chris Murphy speaks to the media at the US Capitol on January 9, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Graeme Sloan/Sipa USA/AP)
Murphy emphasized that much is at stake in the agreement, which also ties into the financing of the Ukraine war.
“The result of failure here is not only that we keep immigration an open issue and available for Donald Trump to use in the next election. It’s also that Ukraine loses this war and Russia brings its military to the edge of Europe; the United States And be catastrophic for the world,” he said.
Still, Murphy maintained that he was confident Republicans would support the deal despite ongoing internal GOP divisions and Trump’s efforts to thwart it.
Murphy also pushed back against Republicans who argue that Biden already has the tools needed to manage the US southern border.
“Republicans have openly said they want to pass border and immigration reform,” he said.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, center, speaks with Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steve McCraw and Texas Maj. Gen. Thomas Suelzer during a news conference June 8, 2023, in Austin. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
“All of a sudden, they’re against border and immigration reform because they’re afraid it’s actually going to pass, and a lot of Republicans in the House and some in the Senate don’t actually have a plan to help the president control the border because they want to keep the border in shambles. for purposes,” Murphy added.
