a new state law that would allow police to arrest## migrants who enter the U.S. illegally.# The law is set to Also today, dozens of House# Republicans led by Speaker## Mike Johnson travel to the U.S.-Mexico# border as negotiations conti immigration policy between senators and# the White House.
In a news conference,## Johnson attacked the Biden administration's# approach to the border and called for change.
REP. MIKE JOHNSON (R-LA): If President Biden# wants a supplemental spending bill focused## on national security, it better begin by# defending AMNA NAWAZ: To delve further into# where border funding negotiations## stand now is our congressional# correspondent, Lisa De Lisa, good to see you.
LISA DESJARDIN LISA DESJARDINS: Right.
AMNA NAWAZ: Where do things stand?
LISA DESJARDIN surge around the world, and we saw that on# our border in the Southwest in December Let's look at the numbers that are# recent from the Department of Homeland## Security.
First of all, in December, total# migrant encounters on the Southwest border,## 302,000.
These are from sources# that give me this information.
Then, in December 2020, in December,# we're going to point out not all of## those encounters were through illegal entry.# Some of those were through ports of entry,# but those illegal entry numbers, that# is at 250,000.
What does that mean,## Amna?
Let's compare it to a year previously in# 2022, also above 200,000, but not quite that high.
These are record numbers that we saw in December,## I will say.
I also have been told that# th over New Year's.
And even today, as# we saw the Republicans at the border,## there were not as many people visible in the place# they were standing at.
AMNA NAWAZ: And we know they# change day to day, right?
LISA DESJARDINS: Right.
AM Well, we k Ukraine and Israel is frozen over# these negotiations.
You have been## covering those Senate talks.# Where do the negotiators stand?
LISA DESJARDINS: I was just spending a lot# of time sitting outs Senator Kyrsten Sinema, who was meeting# with the t Let's remind people who really is at# the core of these negotiations.
This## is a group I call the Quad, Homeland# Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas,## Senator Chris Murphy, the# Democrat of Connecticut, Sinema,## the independent of Arizona, and Senator# James Lankford, Republic I am told that they have been working every# day, except for Christmas, over this break,## that staff has been working at breakneck# pace to try and figure out how to handle## this border situation.
They are# talking about more limits on asylum,## some kind of increased detention# or expedited removal power.
But the details are very difficult.
Senator# Kyrsten Sinema came out earlier today and## told us that, actually, they are closing# in on something and it's reasonable to## think they could have something by next week.
Of# course, there's not a de I want to also say what Senate leader Chuck# Schumer said today.
He's also in town,## another indication of how serious this# is.
This is what he told reporters: SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY): I think, if the# Senate gets something done in a bipartisan way it will put enormous pressure on the# House to get something done as an d not just to let these hard right people# get up and say they are going to -- they,## the 30 of them, to dictate how# the whole country should work.
LISA DESJARDINS: So many# of these deals fall apart,## but there is tremendous pres millions of lives at stake on the border, but# also millions of lives, as you po in Ukraine, because that funding is not going to# advance until potentially they work out thi AMNA NAWAZ: We heard Senator Schumer reference the## House.
What about House Re LISA DESJARDINS: That's a good question.
Right# now, and what we heard f today on the border is that they are still# demanding And I want to remind people of what's# in that bill specifically.
That is your## conservative version of this.
They -- in that# bill, they would deport or detain every new## undocumented immigrant in this country.
And# that includes families and children.
They## would reinstate family detention, something# that right now is unlawful in this country.
Now, they would also have tougher screening# standards for those applying for asylum,## making it much more difficult.
And they would# end mass humanitarian parole.
All but two## Republicans in the House voted for that.
Now,# will they compromise?
They haven't engaged yet.
AMNA NAWAZ: Meanwhile, House Republicans# seem to be moving on another front,## and that is to impeach DHS# Secretary Alejandro What do we know?
LISA DES a hearing related to his possible impeachment# next w But what I'm hearing, my reporting# is that they are ready to move toward## impeachment this month or next of# the homeland security secretary,## even as he's dealing with this border crisis,# they say because he hasn't hand Homeland security says they're ready# for this.
They see this as political.
Yes, it is very difficult for him to handle# that and face impeachmen all of this could tie into a potential government# funding crisis in the middle of the mo Republicans saying they need border money# before they will keep government operated.## So it is going to get complicated,# difficult and intense even more.
AMNA NAWAZ: Lisa Desjardins, thank you,# as always, for your great reporting.