A bipartisan deal backed by President Joe Biden to deliver billions of dollars in US aid to Ukraine along with stricter immigration policies is facing a widening groundswell of resistance from Republicans in Congress, posing a major threat to its progress on Capitol Hill.
The legislation worth $118bn agreed on Sunday by Democratic and Republican negotiators in the Senate could be the last chance for the Biden administration to secure new military support for Ukraine in its defence against Russia’s invasion — alongside other national security goals including aid to Israel and Taiwan.
It also marks a rare compromise on efforts to curb immigration through the US border with Mexico, including restrictions on asylum, which has been a rallying cry for Republicans and a political liability for Democrats throughout Biden’s presidency.