In a recent interview on "Fox News Sunday," Sen. James Lankford from Oklahoma expressed confidence that a deal on immigration and border policy could be reached as early as this week. Lankford, who has been leading negotiations for Senate Republicans on border policy, mentioned that the border negotiators are aiming to release the text by later this week.

Lankford emphasized that everyone will have sufficient time to review and analyze the proposed agreement, emphasizing that no one will be rushed through the process. Alongside Sens. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.), Lankford has been engaging in discussions to find common ground on strengthening asylum laws.

The urgency surrounding the negotiations for tougher immigration laws stems from House Republicans' demand for additional restrictions on immigration as a condition for supporting aid to Ukraine in its ongoing conflict with Russia. This agreement is crucial as it requires the support of a Democratic Senate, a Democratic White House, and a Republican House to become law, Lankford stressed.

The Senate negotiators convened at the Capitol building for over three hours on Friday, making an effort to overcome any remaining obstacles in order to present a consensus when members return from their winter recess this week.

Meanwhile, House Speaker Mike Johnson and numerous House Republicans visited the southern border in Texas last week to shed light on the record number of migrant crossings and criticize the Biden administration's immigration policy. This trip has sparked threats of a government shutdown by right-wing Republicans unless stricter border laws are implemented.

However, Johnson and other GOP leaders have not endorsed these shutdown threats from more conservative House members. In a separate interview on CBS' "Face the Nation," Johnson expressed optimism that Congress may be close to reaching an agreement on top-line numbers to avoid a shutdown in the upcoming weeks, but he hasn't seen the specifics of the Senate negotiators' work.

During the interview on "Fox News Sunday," Lankford indicated that he welcomes a direct dialogue between Johnson and the White House to reach a compromise on border policy. Additionally, Lankford mentioned that the House could make amendments to a bill passed by the Senate, but any changes would require Senate approval before reaching President Joe Biden's desk.

Lankford expressed his hope that if the Senate does pass a bill, the House can either improve upon it or recognize the progress made and move forward. Johnson, on CBS, confirmed that the House is determined to stand by the provisions of their Republican-led border bill, H.R.2.

While Johnson did not make a firm commitment about bringing a Senate deal to the House floor, he assured that a deal is desired by all parties involved due to the moral obligation to address the ongoing immigration crisis.

As the negotiations continue, lawmakers are optimistic about finding common ground and enacting significant changes to immigration and border policies. The coming week promises to be critical in determining the next steps in this issue that affects millions of individuals in the United States.