Washington, DC – Military aid for Ukraine in exchange for stricter migration and asylum policies: That is the gambit put forward by Republicans in the United States Congress as they negotiate with Democrats over government spending.
But the prospect of tighter border restrictions has prompted concern among advocates, particularly as some leading Democrats seem poised to compromise.
On Tuesday, demonstrators from dozens of advocacy groups gathered near the US Capitol for a “Save Asylum” campaign, where they appealed to lawmakers not to sacrifice asylum protections as part of any spending deal.
“We are here today demanding, lifting our voice, and continuing the fight to ensure that a couple of senators do not implement behind closed doors things [that] will affect our community,” said Lydia Walther-Rodriguez, an organiser with the national immigration group CASA.
“We are going to lift our voices united to ensure that they do not look at us as just statistics to play political games,” she continued. “Real lives are on the line.”
Top Democrats and the White House have already signalled they are willing to make concessions on immigration in return for a long-sought $110bn aid package. That deal would include military aid for Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan, as well as other security spending.
Talks between Republican and Democratic senators, however, failed to reach a breakthrough before Congress adjourned last year for its holiday break.
With legislators returning to work this week, asylum rights supporters have vowed a flurry of advocacy work to bring awareness to the ongoing negotiations — and the stakes they entail.
Tuesday’s event, held in Washington’s Reformation Lutheran Church, brought together 200 demonstrators, some of whom held signs that read “Save asylum” and “Don’t deport our families”.
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