US Senate No 2 Republican: border talks at critical moment, Plan B possible

The U.S. Senate's No. 2 Republican, John Thune, said on Thursday that bipartisan border talks have reached a critical moment and held out the possibility that lawmakers may have to consider a "Plan B" for legislation that includes aid for U.S. allies including Ukraine and Israel. A small bipartisan group of senators has spent months trying to iron out an agreement to address the flow of migrants across the U.S.-Mexico border.

The U.S. Senate's No. 2 Republican, John Thune, said on Thursday that bipartisan border talks have reached a critical moment and held out the possibility that lawmakers may have to consider a "Plan B" for legislation that includes aid for U.S. allies including Ukraine and Israel.

A small bipartisan group of senators has spent months trying to iron out an agreement to address the flow of migrants across the U.S.-Mexico border. But the effort has run into rising opposition among Republicans aligned with Donald Trump, the Republican presidential frontrunner. "We're at a critical moment, and we've got to drive hard to get this done. And if we can't get there, then we'll go to Plan B," Thune told reporters in the U.S. Capitol.

"Something's got to give here," he added. "But I think for now, at least, there are still attempts being made to try and reach a conclusion that would satisfy a lot of Republicans." Thune did not respond to questions about what a possible "Plan B" might look like.