Republicans in the US Congress are negotiating with Democrats over government spending, and they have proposed military assistance for Ukraine in exchange for tougher immigration and asylum laws. However, supporters are worried about the possibility of stricter border controls, especially because several prominent Democrats appear willing to make concessions. As part of a “Save Asylum” campaign, protesters from dozens of advocacy groups gathered on Tuesday close to the US Capitol. They pleaded with lawmakers not to give up asylum protections in exchange for any financial agreement. Organizer Lydia Walther-Rodriguez stated, “We are here today demanding, lifting our voice, and continuing the fight to ensure that a couple of senators do not implement things behind closed doors that will affect our community.”