Negotiators consider expanding expedited deportations as border talks near ‘finish line’

Some small signs of agreement in bipartisan border security negotiations are emerging, including new progress on plans to closely track and rapidly deport more migrants who cross illegally, according to a U.S. official familiar with the Biden administration’s point of view and a Republican senator briefed on the negotiations.

Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., who is engaged in the bipartisan discussions but is not part of the main negotiating group, confirmed to NBC News that expanding the tracking and expedited removal of migrants is “one of the open areas of discussion.”

FERM provides an “alternative to detention” rather than keeping families in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the official said, and it could be extended to monitor other migrants beyond family groups. However, the expansion would require more funding for ICE officers to oversee the monitoring and deportations, the official said.

The White House declined to comment.

A further sign of progress is that more people are now being briefed on the details of the negotiations. Senate Democrats had a multi-hour discussion Tuesday led by Chris Murphy, D-Conn., one of the three key negotiators, and Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.

Republicans, too, have had several sessions with top GOP negotiator James Lankford of Oklahoma, including a special conference meeting Wednesday from which senators emerged hopeful that a deal was within reach but vocal about issues the two sides continue to be apart on.

Still, Murphy said negotiators have settled on several changes that would significantly reform U.S. immigration policy. Without an agreement on everything, however, the deal could still fall apart.

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