Big border surge didn’t happen. But calls persist for an overhaul.

The official end of the pandemic public health emergency on May 11, and the lifting of a key measure used to expel migrants, had Washington and border communities bracing for a massive border surge.

So far, that hasn’t materialized. But the concerns and countermeasures surrounding that policy change are putting a new spotlight on the ongoing challenge of record-high levels of illegal immigration – and whose responsibility it is to fix it.

Many are skeptical that Congress can pass comprehensive immigration reform. Still, Sen. Angus King, a Maine independent, sees areas of agreement. Both sides want better control over the border, he says, and many would like to help the “Dreamers” – the children of unauthorized immigrants. Every business group that comes to his office highlights workforce challenges, yet he points to asylum-seekers in Maine who want to work but can’t.

“I believe there’s a deal [to be made],” he says. “The difficulty – and I can tell you as a person who has worked on this