Speaker Johnson Insists on Sweeping U.S. Border Security in a Deal for Ukraine Aid, Senate Leader McConnell Backs ConcessionsCongress

justthenews.com Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has backed House Speaker Mike Johnson's bid to secure border concessions in exchange for approving a $106 billion funding request to provide aid to Ukraine. ::: McConnell, who has long supported funding Kyiv's war effort, urged Republicans to oppose a procedural measure this week to advance the measure, saying "I'm advocating, and I hope all of our members vote no on the motion to proceed to the shell, to make the point ? hopefully for the final time ? that we insist on meaningful changes to the border," according to Fox News.

amren.com/thehill.com Immigration advocates are nearing their wits' end as Senate negotiators barrel toward a deal that would permanently change immigration law in exchange for another round of Ukraine funding. ::: The four Latino Democrats in the chamber — who are not part of the talks — have made clear that the fundamental precept being negotiated is unacceptable to them. ::: This week three of them, Sens. Ben Ray Luján (N.M.), Alex Padilla (Calif.) and Bob Menéndez (N.J.) joined eight other Senate Democrats, including Majority Whip Dick Durbin (Ill.), to decry the talks.

rt.com Democrats and Republicans in the US Senate have reportedly failed to reach a deal on a border security package, NBC reported on Tuesday, citing congressional aides with knowledge of the talks. The collapse of negotiations now threatens to derail President Joe Biden's national security bill, which includes aid to Israel and Ukraine. ::: The Republican Party has for weeks been threatening to block Biden's $106 billion 'national security supplemental request,' originally introduced in October, unless it included a spending boost for the US-Mexico border and tighter immigration controls, particularly with regards to asylum and parole laws in immigration proceedings.

newsday.com House Speaker Mike Johnson told fellow Republicans on Tuesday that sweeping changes to U.S. border policy would be their "hill to die on" in negotiations over President Joe Biden's nearly $106 billion package for the wars in Ukraine and Israel and other security needs. ::: Johnson delivered the hard-line message Tuesday morning ahead of classified briefings the Biden administration organized to underscore how desperately the aid is needed. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was scheduled to address the senators via video but had to cancel his appearance, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said.

Construction of Chicago's Migrant Camp at Brighton Park Halted Because of Contaminated SoilChicago

Illinois officials announced Tuesday that Chicago's controversial plan to build a migrant base camp at a site in the city's Brighton Park neighborhood cannot go on due to "environmental concerns." ::: The decision comes just after Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker's administration temporarily halted construction at the site, located at 38th and California, to further review an 800-page environmental assessment, which revealed levels of mercury and other contaminants in the soil that exceeded environmental limits.

NOTE New of the contaminated soil was release later Friday, but made it to the news. Here is a link to our cluster of stories for that.

Senator Dick Durbin Says Illegal Aliens Should Be Able to Join U.S. MilitarySenate

dailywire.com A top Senate Democrat said on Monday that he believes illegal immigrants should have a path to U.S. citizenship by joining the military. ::: Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), who is also chairman of the Judiciary Committee, floated the idea during remarks on the Senate floor after he commented on GOP resistance to approving more aid to Ukraine without comprehensive border security reforms.

Mostly Military-Age Chinese Men Invade the Southern Border through a Wall Opening, near Jacumba Hot Springs, CAJacumba Hot Springs, CA

nextnewsnetwork.com An extensive group of men, primarily from China, recently crossed the southern border into California. This influx is part of a larger trend where thousands of people from various global regions, including Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and Central and South America, travel through challenging terrain like the Darien Gap, aiming to enter the United States.

Ground Reporter Catches Human Smugglers Using Hole in Border Wall to Deliver #Illegals to U.S. near Lukeville, AzLukeville, Az

westernjournal.com At this point, the only professionals who respect President Joe Biden?s border policies are the human smugglers getting rich off them. ::: That was the clear message from a disturbing clip posted to social media on Tuesday by Fox News reporter Bill Melugin as part of a reporting trip to Lukeville, Arizona. ::: The clip not only showed illegal aliens rushing through a breach in the border wall that federal contractors were on hand to fix, it showed the alien smuggler who guided them through — a figure of cocky confidence who still seemed to find it hard to believe it was all happening.

More south Texas border Democrats switching to Republican Party (#theCenterSquare)Texas

thecentersquare.com More south Texas Democratic officials in border communities are switching, or already switched, to the Republican Party. ::: Kenedy County Attorney Allison Strauss and Pecos County Sheriff Thomas Perkins announced they are running for reelection as Republicans, leaving the Democratic Party.

U.S. House Representative Discovers NYC Trying to Register Illegal Aliens to VoteNew York City/Congress

thethinkingconservative.com Officials disputed claims from a GOP lawmaker who said she found evidence of NYC trying to register illegal immigrants. ::: A Republican lawmaker who represents a district in New York City claims she has found a "smoking gun," in what she describes as an attempt to register illegal immigrants to vote, although the city disputes her claims.

Senate Democrats Introduce $110 Billion for Ukraine War, Israel War and U.S. BorderSenate

thehill.com Senate Democrats on Tuesday unveiled a roughly $111 billion national security package to provide aid to Ukraine and Israel, along with measures targeting the southern border. ::: A summary of the 167-page bill said the measure would provide more than $15 billion in support for Ukraine, covering areas like "military training, intelligence sharing,? and ?increased presence in the European Command area of responsibility."

NYC Comptroller Calls End to NYC Mayor's Emergency Spending Power for MigrantsNew York City

ny1.com The city comptroller has revoked the mayor's ability to make emergency deals to house and feed migrants. ::: In a letter obtained by NY1, City Comptroller Brad Lander has revoked Mayor Eric Adams' emergency powers to hire various contractors for migrant services without approval from the Comptroller's Office.

With Hole in the Wall Near Lukeville, Az, (Population 35), the #POE is Overun with IllegalsLukeville, Az

redstate.com Lukeville, Arizona is a remote border crossing, a very small town, not much more than a spot in the road. But it has become a popular destination for migrants. But this group of migrants is decidedly different. It has been made up of entirely single adult military-age males — not a woman or child to be seen. They are coming not just from Mexico or Central America. Many of them are coming from African countries like Senegal, Guinea, Mauritania, and Egypt. Others are from the Middle East. This has caused U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to reduce vehicle processing at the Lukeville crossing. The nearby Tucson Sector has seen a record number of migrant crossings, 3,000 in a single day and 17,500 in a single week.

Oversease Migrants Stories from Australia, Britain, Denmark, and GermanyOverseas

See headlines below for description