Biden offers fresh assurances he would shut down border ‘right now’ if Congress sends him a deal

By ZEKE MILLER, COLLEEN LONG and MEG KINNARD
Associated Press

COLUMBIA, South Carolina (AP) — President Joe Biden is bidding to salvage a border deal in Congress that also would unlock money for Ukraine. He’s offering fresh assurances that he would be willing to close the U.S.-Mexico border if lawmakers would only send him a bill to sign. Biden is also trying disarm GOP criticism of his handling of migration at the border. He said at a political event in South Carolina on Saturday that he would shut down the border ’“right now” if Congress passed the proposed deal. The framework hasn’t been formally agreed to by Senate Democrats and Republicans and would face an uncertain future in the GOP-controlled House.