Why a Border Deal Might Not Fix the Border

WASHINGTON—The immigration-policy proposals that Republicans and Democrats have haggled over for weeks have one big catch—they may not do much to stem the flow of migrants at the border. Arrests of migrants surged recently to above 10,000 a day along the Southwest border, overwhelming agents and prompting the unusual move of closing some bridges and ports. President Biden dispatched Secretary of State Antony Blinken and top Homeland Security officials to Mexico to discuss how to stem the flow, while House Speaker Mike Johnson (R., La.) demanded the White House take executive action to turn back migrants.