Congress unlikely to include a pathway to citizenship in its border deal

Border security is a key component of a broader legislative deal that lawmakers are rushing to complete before the end of the year.

Pathways to citizenship for young immigrants protected by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program are unlikely to be included in a border deal that lawmakers are trying to hash out in the final weeks of the year.

Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., who is involved with the negotiations, told reporters Monday night that new pathways to citizenship won’t be a part of any final agreement.

“I think I’ve developed a reputation as being a fairly reasonable, compromise-oriented person. You come to me and tell me we had to have DACA and path to citizenship in this bill, it would be the last discussion you have with me [on] border security,” Tillis said. “This is not the time, or the place, nor the policy construct for it to work.”

Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut, a top Democratic negotiator in the talks, said that while DACA is a priority that Democrats would want to see included in the deal, it doesn’t align with what Republicans want the final bill to look like.

Congressional leaders are aiming to pass legislation before Christmas that includes supplemental aid to Israel, Ukraine and the Indo-Pacific, multiple people involved in discussions told NBC News this month. Republicans are demanding tougher border security measures and stricter asylum laws in exchange for the additional Ukraine aid sought by the Biden administration.

Read the full story on NBCNews.com here.