How the White House got involved in the border talks on Capitol Hill — with Ukraine aid at stake

By SEUNG MIN KIM
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Top Biden administration officials have ramped up their involvement in the recent border talks on Capitol Hill. That’s because if those negotiations are successful, then President Joe Biden’s emergency spending request for Ukraine could become law. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, along with senior officials from the White House and the Department of Homeland Security, have spent hours behind closed doors with senators in negotiations over the past week. And White House chief of staff Jeff Zients has been making calls regularly to the negotiators but also to other lawmakers. Republicans, who control the House and can block legislation in the Senate, say a deal is not possible without significant White House involvement.