Trump: border bill must be separate from foreign war aid allocation
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Former US President Donald Trump stated that the US requires an independent Border and Immigration Bill, unlinked to foreign aid in any manner whatsoever
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Republican presidential candidate former US President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign event Jan. 27, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP)
Former President Donald Trump called for the separation of a new US bill addressing border and immigration issues from the allocation of foreign aid to Ukraine and "Israel", following the unveiling of the Senate's supplemental funding bill on Sunday.
"We need a separate Border and Immigration Bill. It should not be tied to foreign aid in any way, shape, or form!" Trump said before adding
According to Trump, the Senate bill is intended to shift blame away from the Democrats, whom he accuses of causing the border crisis, and place the responsibility for the consequences of their perceived poor performance onto the Republicans.
"Only a fool, or a Radical Left Democrat, would vote for this horrendous Border Bill," Trump said via a Truth Social post.
US Senate releases text of border security, Ukraine, 'Israel' aid bill
US senators unveiled Sunday the text of a highly anticipated bill that would allocate substantial new aid for Ukraine and the Israeli occupation entity, while simultaneously implementing stricter US border laws.
The proposed national security supplemental legislation encompasses a total funding of $118.3 billion. This includes $60 billion to support Ukraine, aligning with the White House's request, and $14.1 billion in security assistance designated for "Israel", as outlined in a summary provided by Senate Appropriations Committee chair Patty Murray.
According to the summary, $4 billion will be designated to bolster "Israel's" anti-air capabilities and $1.2 billion for the occupation entity's Iron Beam procurement.
Additionally, the deal encompasses $20.2 billion earmarked for US border security -- including $2.44 billion to support the operations in the Central Command area and replace combat expenditures for weapons in the Red Sea -- accompanied by a variety of immigration policy changes agreed upon by both Democratic and Republican negotiators.
The bipartisan agreement also proposes "$2.58 billion to bolster US and allied capabilities in the Indo-Pacific and deter China." Of the $2.5 billion, some $1.9 billion would be used to invest in the US industrial base to replenish US weapons provided to Taiwan.
Elsewhere, the draft supplemental funding proposed by the US Senate includes $9.2 billion for humanitarian assistance to provide civilian populations in the Gaza Strip, Ukraine, the West Bank and other regions with food, shelter and basic services.
Some $7 million "shall be made available for the oversight and monitoring of assistance made available for Gaza," the text read.
Despite these provisions, the bill's path to becoming law remains uncertain, as it is not evident whether it has garnered the necessary 60 backers for the initial procedural vote in the Democratic-controlled Senate, scheduled for Wednesday at the latest.
The prolonged negotiations among senators have revolved around addressing illegal immigration, with Republicans emphasizing the need for enhanced border security in exchange for approving President Joe Biden's funding request for Kiev.
The release of the legislative text received prompt approval from the White House, with Biden stating, "Now we've reached an agreement on a bipartisan national security deal that includes the toughest and fairest set of border reforms in decades. I strongly support it."
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