Defending Borders, Defending Democracies Act proposes border changes, appropriations for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan

With the introduction of the Defending Borders, Defending Democracies Act recently, a bipartisan mix of representatives are pushing for year-long authorities to secure the United States-Mexico border and provide $66.32 billion for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan.

This latest attempt to both solve border concerns and simultaneously fund U.S. allies was introduced by U.S. Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Jared Golden (D-ME), Don Bacon (R-NE), Ed Case (D-HI), Mike Lawler (R-NY), Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA), Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-OR), and Jim Costa (D-CA).

“Securing one’s borders is necessary to preserving one’s democracy and, therefore, necessary to maintaining world order and world peace,” Fitzpatrick said. “As the world’s oldest and strongest democracy, the United States’ primary responsibility must be to secure its own borders. But we also have an obligation to assist our allies in securing their borders, especially when they come under assault by dictators, terrorists, and totalitarians. Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan are all freedom-loving democracies, they are our allies, and we must assist them in protecting their borders just as we must protect our own. We can, and must, achieve all of the above.”

The largest amount of allotted funds would go to the defense of Ukraine, if passed, with $47.69 billion earmarked for the country’s defense. At the same time, the bill seeks to allay concerns about illegal migrants at the southern border by suspending the entry of inadmissible immigrants and requiring immigration officers to detain and immediately expel them without further hearing or review. It would also put new restrictions on people claiming sanctuary over threats of persecution or torture.

“Congress must secure our border,” Golden said. “This bill would provide expulsion authority, a tool Border Patrol needs to reassert control and do their jobs. Restoring the Remain in Mexico policy would address SCOTUS’s ruling that this authority is discretionary. The situation in Ukraine is also deadly serious. Russia has tried to influence our elections and has run disinformation campaigns to divide our nation. At this moment, the enemy of our enemy is our friend.”

The Remain in Mexico policy would require immigrants seeking admission, as through asylum, after arriving on land from a foreign territory contiguous to the United States, would need to be returned to that territory pending all the legal proceedings surrounding their status.