.ON DECEMBER 6TH Republicans turned down Head of state Joe Biden's request for $106bn of funding, many of it to aid arm Ukraine, on the manner that its arrangements to get America's southern border did not go far sufficient. A team of legislators currently appear close to striking a bipartisan offer on immigration rules, believed to feature harder policies as the rate of Republican support. But it looks most likely to be finished off in the House of Reps. On January 14th Mike Johnson, your house sound speaker, claimed that meaningful border reform will have to stand by until a Republican was president. Yet on January 17th, after a conference along with Mr Biden, he prompted that he might be open to a concession besides. Is one likely?