Trump Confirms Support for Law to Protect ‘Dreamers’

[Amica Nostra 4,803]

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/14/us/politics/trump-daca-dreamers.html?mcubz=0&_r=0

WASHINGTON — President Trump confirmed on Thursday morning that he supports legislation that would protect young undocumented immigrants from deportation and would deliver a “massive” increase in border security — but not with a wall on the southern border.

Mr. Trump’s comments, both in Washington and in Florida, affirmed the broad parameters of an agreement that Democratic leaders unilaterally announced Wednesday night after dinner with the president at the White House.

In remarks to reporters as he left the White House on Thursday, Mr. Trump said, “We’re working on a plan for DACA,” referring to protections for immigrants who are part of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. He confirmed, “the wall will come later.”

Mr. Trump’s comments seemed to contradict his own Twitter posts early Thursday morning when he said, “no deal was made last night on DACA.” But they were very much in line with Democratic leaders’ statements. Representative Nancy Pelosi of California, the House Democratic leader, also stopped short of calling their agreement a “deal” on Thursday.

But she told reporters, “We agreed to a plan to protect our nation’s Dreamers from deportation,” adding that there would be a “border security measure that does not include a wall” included in immigration legislation.

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Republican leaders were contacted after the fact. In a curt statement, Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the majority leader, confirmed that the president called him Thursday morning to discuss immigration issues.

“As Congress debates the best ways to address illegal immigration through strong border security and interior enforcement, DACA should be part of those discussions. We look forward to receiving the Trump administration’s legislative proposal as we continue our work on these issues,” he said.

At this point, any legislative proposal appears to be coming from the minority party. A senior Democratic official familiar with Wednesday’s dinner conversation said the agreement was specific, drawing on language from Mr. Trump’s own budget request. That request included sensors to beef up border monitoring, rebuilding roads along the border, drones and air support for border enforcement.

“It’s basically his budget request, if you take away more agents and take away the wall,” the official said, indicating that Ms. Pelosi and Senator Chuck Schumer, the Democratic leader, entered the White House prepared with an offer. “We took from that what he was interested in, and said these are the types of things we can negotiate.”

Even if Mr. Trump and Democratic leaders agree to support legislation to protect the young undocumented immigrants, any proposal would need the support of Republicans, who control the House and Senate. Democrats say they would like to hash out a specific agreement on the border security component with the White House before presenting it to Republican leaders, but ultimately, Mr. McConnell and Speaker Paul D. Ryan will decide what comes to a vote.

Republicans were more befuddled by the developments than angry.

Senator Thom Tillis, Republican of North Carolina, said Mr. Trump had not given anything away, but merely opened a conversation that ultimately puts the onus on Democrats.

“I think the real question is, can the Democrats get on board with something that is fundamentally conservative and solves this problem for the long term, not just the short term,” Mr. Tillis said. “He hasn’t given up anything. He had a discussion with them, which he has to have.”

Immigration advocates in the Senate actually cheered him on.

“The president is trying to cut a deal that I think would be good for the country as a whole. He is not the president of 15 percent of the population. He is the president of all of us,” said Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina and a consistent advocate of legislation to legalize many undocumented immigrants. “And if he could bring Democrats and Republicans together to find a place for these kids to stay in the country they know, and secure our border, that would be a giant step forward.”

[Amica Nostra 4,803]

More fake news from the times

[Dashinka 24,514]

Wait, I thought Trump was a racist against all illegal immigrants especially those from South of the border and those of the Muslim faith?  Which is it?  Btw, this is shaping up to be another wash-rinse-repeat immigration cycle with a lot of legislative promises to shore up the border, and some form of legalization for those that already got through.  I wonder if the end result will be the same as it has in the past?

[Mr&Mrs G. 903]

Maybe he will build the wall just as far as California to see how they will get on with no protection and their sanctuary state policy.