WASHINGTON - Former US president Donald Trump urged Republicans on Feb 5 to reject a bipartisan Senate deal trading tough new border security measures for US$60 billion (S$80.89 billion) in Ukraine funding and other national security priorities.
“Don’t be STUPID!!! We need a separate Border and Immigration Bill. It should not be tied to foreign aid in any way, shape, or form!” said Trump, who is running for re-election and wanted to deprive President Joe Biden of a major legislative win ahead of the November vote.
With the White House race looking almost certain to be a rematch of 2020, the Republican former president has been hammering his Democratic successor over record numbers of undocumented migrants crossing the southern border.
Senators unveiled one of the harshest immigration Bills in a generation on Feb 4, including significant restrictions that Mr Biden has committed to signing into law.
The US$118.3 billion package includes US$60 billion for Ukraine, US$14 billion for Israel, US$10 billion in humanitarian aid, nearly US$5 billion for Asia-Pacific partners including Taiwan, and US$20 billion in new border funding.
It would be a major win for immigration hawks – full of concessions that Democrats would normally have strongly opposed, such the curbing of presidential discretion in allowing in refugees for humanitarian reasons, an expedited removal process and a mandate to close the border when apprehensions reach 5,000 daily.
It also includes none of the priorities Democrats typically push for, such as a path to citizenship for the country’s estimated 11 million undocumented migrants.
But Trump has an iron grip on Republicans leading the House of Representatives, and has called repeatedly for the party to kill the legislation and deny Mr Biden and his Democrats a political victory ahead of November’s election.
“This Bill is a great gift to the Democrats, and a Death Wish for The Republican Party,” Trump added.
“It takes the HORRIBLE JOB the Democrats have done on Immigration and the Border, absolves them, and puts it all squarely on the shoulders of Republicans.” AFP
