So, We Have Secret Talks on a Border Bill Happening Right Now

Matt Vespa / Townhall Tipsheet

We won an election based on the Democrats being wholly incompetent on immigration and border security, so what do Republicans do? They’re working on a secret immigration bill during the lame-duck period. It’s a sick joke and a total disgrace. First, any comprehensive immigration deal with Democrats is going to be littered with nonsense, like a pathway to citizenship and other provisions that were roundly rejected in the 2024 election. Mass deportations are what’s on the agenda right now—that’s it. Second, you know the bill is bad if these talks are described as “very serious” and “very secret” (via Axios):

A small, bipartisan group of senators have been quietly sketching out a possible new border deal for early 2025, Axios has learned. 

Why it matters: Border and immigration reform is the white whale of Congress. It's also President-elect Trump's No. 1 priority.

Top Senate Republicans plan to move quickly on a border package, using the budget reconciliation process to get it done.

Pentagon says the number of US troops in Syria is much higher than previously reported

The Pentagon has reported there were 900 US troops in Syria for several months

Greg Wehner, Jennifer Griffin / Fox News

 

The Pentagon says there are 2,000 U.S. troops deployed in Syria, more than double what officials with the Department of Defense have been telling reporters for months.

"We have been briefing you regularly that there are approximately 900 U.S. troops deployed to Syria," Pentagon Press Secretary Brig. Gen. Ryder told reporters during a press briefing on Thursday. "In light of the situation in Syria, and in significant interest, we’ve recently learned that those numbers were higher."

Ryder asked to look into the numbers and said he learned on Thursday that there are about 2,000 U.S. troops in Syria.

"It was explained to me these additional forces are considered temporary rotational forces that deploy to meet shifting mission requirements, whereas the core 900 deployers are on longer term deployments," he continued. "As you know, for many of our deployments, numbers will fluctuate from time to time, but given that this number is significantly higher than what we've been briefing, I wanted to let you know, as soon as I found out this information." Read more and see video here: https://www.foxnews.com/world/pentagon-says-number-us-troops-syria-much-higher-previously-reported