A deal on US border policy is closer than it seems. Here’s how it is shaping up and what’s at stake

By STEPHEN GROVES, LISA MASCARO and REBECCA SANTANA
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Amid grueling negotiations between senators and the White House, the contours of a bipartisan border security and immigration deal are beginning to take shape. The package is central to unlocking stalled aid for Ukraine, Israel and other national security priorities. Among the main areas of discussion: toughening asylum protocols for migrants arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border; bolstering border enforcement with more personnel and high-tech systems; and deterring migrants from making the journey in the first place. Congress left town for the holidays, due back Jan. 8, with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell saying in a rare joint statement that negotiations are progressing.