ELECTIONS, POLITICS, & GOVERNMENT

Key highlights of the Senate’s proposed border deal package

Feb 5, 2024, 7:10 AM | Updated: Feb 7, 2024, 6:28 am

The Rio Grande at the US-Mexico border in Eagle Pass, Texas, on January 9. The Senate’s border de...

The Rio Grande at the US-Mexico border in Eagle Pass, Texas, on January 9. The Senate’s border deal and foreign aid package, released on February 4. Mandatory Credit: John Moore/Getty Images

(CNN) — The Senate’s border deal and foreign aid package, released Sunday, would implement strict limits along the US southern border that have not been previously enshrined into law and would, in effect, severely curtail asylum at the US southern border, a break from decades-long protocol.

Tune in at 6:45!

If passed, the bill would dramatically change immigration law for the first time in decades. The package paves the way for a key vote in the chamber this week in which the legislation is at risk of failing and, if it does pass, setting up a clash with the House. In a sign of the grim odds facing the legislation, Speaker Mike Johnson declared the deal “dead on arrival” in the House after the text was released.

It’s unlikely that the deal could take immediate effect even if it were passed, as it would require an immense number of resources, including the hiring of additional personnel, which often takes months.

Here are the key changes included in the bill:

— New emergency authority to restrict border crossings if daily average migrant encounters reach 4,000 over a one-week span. If that metric is reached, the Homeland Security secretary could decide to largely bar migrants from seeking asylum if they crossed the border unlawfully.

If migrant crossings increase above 5,000 on average per day on a given week, DHS is required to use the authority. If encounters reach 8,500 in one day, the department is required to trigger the authority. But the federal government is limited in how long it can use the authority.

In the first year, the government can use it for 270 days, then 225 calendar days in the second year, and 180 days in the third year. The authority sunsets after three years.

— Codifies a policy that requires the government to process at least 1,400 asylum applications at ports of entry when the emergency authority is triggered.

— Raises the legal standard of proof to pass the initial screening for asylum, making it potentially more difficult for asylum seekers to pass.

— Expedites the asylum processing timeline from years to six months.

— Introduces a new process in which US Citizenship and Immigration Services would decide an asylum claim without it going through the immigration court system. The process doesn’t apply to unaccompanied migrant children.

— Preserves the president’s authority to designate humanitarian parole on a case-by-case basis. President Joe Biden has used the authority for Ukrainians, Afghans, Cubans, Venezuelans and Haitians, among other populations.

— Includes limited changes that narrow the use of parole at land borders.

— Authorizes 250,000 additional immigrant visas to spread out over five years for families and applies to employment-based immigrants.

— Provides a pathway to citizenship for Afghans paroled into the United States after the US’ withdrawal from Afghanistan and extends the special immigrant visa program for Afghans who worked for the US government.

Related: ‘We should all be concerned’: Gov. Cox details trip to US-Mexico border

We want to hear from you.

Have a story idea or tip? Send it to the KSL NewsRadio team here.

Elections, Politics, & Government

Sen John Curtis, R-Utah, walks through the Capitol during votes in Washington, July 16. A journey t...

Cami Mondeaux, Deseret News

From Salt Lake City to the Senate: Curtis leads tribute honoring Pioneer Day

In the US Senate on Thursday, Sen. John Curtis led a resolution honoring the Utah pioneers for exhibiting a spirit that he says still shapes the country today.

2 days ago

It's been a busy summer for SAR crews across Utah, and when teams head out, in many instances they'...

Don Brinkerhoff, KSL

Utah SAR volunteers spend their own money to save lives. Here’s how you can help

It's been a busy summer for SAR crews across Utah, and when teams head out, in many instances they're doing it largely on their own dime.

2 days ago

U.S. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) departs the U.S. Capitol on July 22, 2026 in Washingt...

Lisa Mascaro, AP Congressional Correspondent

House Republicans adopt $95 billion package for the Iran war and Trump’s priorities

The House adopted a Republican-only $95 billion budget proposal Wednesday, a long-shot effort to fund the Iran war and other White House priorities.

3 days ago

Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and President Donald Trump at the Whit...

Ahmed Aboulenein, Reuters

US pauses $1B in Medicaid payments to California, Minnesota

The Trump administration is pausing $1 billion in Medicaid payments to California and Minnesota ​over "suspected fraud and noncompliance," Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said on Tuesday.

3 days ago

New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill speaks on the day of an event with tall ships sailing near Sandy...

Doina Chiacu, Reuters

New Jersey says software error put 6,600 noncitizens on voter rolls

Roughly 6,600 people who were not U.S. citizens were accidentally added to New Jersey's voter rolls because of a software ​error at the state motor vehicles department

3 days ago

Asay Martinis and Ben Floyd walk at the Great Salt Lake in Salt Lake City on Thursday, June 4, 2026...

Adam Small

Great Salt Lake hits lowest level in more than 3 years, but managers say conservation is paying off

At the time of publication, the south arm of Great Salt Lake sat at 4,190.9 feet above sea level. That's less than a foot above the lake's low point in 2021.

4 days ago

Sponsored Articles

...

Bear Lake

Road trip ready: How Bear Lake became the go-to destination for Western U.S. travelers

Whether you are chasing pristine beaches, fresh raspberry shakes, or endless water sports, this sponsored guide—brought to you in partnership with Bear Lake —uncovers everything you need to plan the ultimate getaway.   There’s nothing quite like the thrill of hopping in the car with your favorite snacks in tow and heading out for a […]

...

Harper Clinic

A new standard of care: How Harper Clinic’s IOP is changing the face of mental health treatment in Utah

This article is sponsored by Harper Clinic, a Utah-based clinic offering FDA-approved TMS therapy for treatment-resistant depression.    Utah’s mental health crisis is leaving many residents caught in an uncomfortable middle ground: struggling too much for weekly therapy alone, but unable to step away from work, parenting or daily life for inpatient treatment. As demand […]

...

Harper Clinic

Breaking free from depression: How Harper Clinic’s TMS Therapy can help

This article is sponsored by Harper Clinic, a Utah-based clinic offering FDA-approved TMS therapy for treatment-resistant depression.    The weight of depression is real. Many people spend years fighting it, adjusting medications, managing side effects and wondering if this is simply how life is going to feel.   According to the World Health Organization, depression affects […]

mental health...

Andrew Adams, KSL

Library discussions bring men’s mental health to the surface

Therapists say it’s common for men to repress things like trauma, grief, stress and anxiety. Now, a new weekly series of discussions aims to help men bring it all to the surface.

...

Bear Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau

Cozy up in Bear Lake: Discover the magic of a winter getaway

SALT LAKE CITY – The holiday season shines brightest when time slows down and loved ones gather. Gifts, decorations and festive music come and go, but shared experiences tend to last much longer. Research supports that idea. Dr. Theresa E. DiDonato told Psychology Today that vacations can strengthen relationships by creating meaningful time away from daily […]

...

Harper Clinic

Rewriting the path to healing: Inside Harper Clinic’s whole-person mental health model

OREM — A few decades ago, you’d have had a hard time finding a doctor to treat both your mind and body; And a century ago, you’d have been hard-pressed to find a doctor to treat your mind at all. Today, medical professionals are understanding more and more the undeniable connection between the body and […]

Key highlights of the Senate’s proposed border deal package