Dueling border visits, immigration reform, Biden on Gaza

There is little chance of comprehensive immigration reform despite broad agreement for its need and rising public concern about it.

SCOTT SIMON, HOST:

Dueling border visits, the Supreme Court, the Senate minority leader, Super Tuesday – lots to chew over with Ron Elving. Ron, thanks so much for being with us.

RON ELVING, BYLINE: Good to be with you, Scott.

SIMON: President Biden began the week by saying he hoped for a cease-fire in Gaza by Monday. He has ended the week without that prospect and instead ordered air drops of aid to hungry people there, air drops which have already begun today. Now, what does this say about U.S. influence in the current conflict?

ELVING: It says our power to bring even a temporary pause in this war is quite limited. We can try to bring the warring parties together, and we have. But both sides still seem determined to achieve something they want by force of arms. Talks are expected to resume on Monday in Cairo, and Ramadan begins a week after that. There’s hope, but we also have the fallout from what happened this week when a crowd came to meet an aid convoy. Accounts differ, but at some point, Israeli soldiers started shooting. There are reports of more than a hundred dead and hundreds wounded or injured. The U.N. secretary-general is calling for an independent investigation.

SIMON: U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments in April about Donald Trump’s claims that, as former president, he’s immune from prosecution. What are the implications?

ELVING: Enormous. With this added delay, the case may not be resolved before November, and that would leave an unprecedented question hanging over the election. That’s why special counsel Jack Smith asked the high court to take the case last year, assuming that the justices would want to have the last word sooner or later. But the court said no then. The circuit court of appeals should rule first, they said. Now the appeals court has ruled unanimously…