A poll released January 28 found that 88% of registered voters said Congress should address wall funding and amnesty for those eligible for DACA as separate issues, not tie them together as some members of Congress are suggesting.
House Democrats announced on Wednesday that they'll release a bill that would end the partial government shutdown and provide at least $5 billion for border security, but none of the funds will be available to construct additional barriers along the U.S.-Mexico border. The funding will reportedly cover new technology and more staff to stem the flow of illegal drugs through ports of entry.
The Senate blocked an amendment on Thursday, 50-to-47, that would have ended the partial government shutdown by trading a 3-year DACA amnesty for $5.7 billion in border funding. The motion to bring the amendment to the floor needed 60 votes. The Senate also blocked an amendment offered by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), 52-to-44, from coming to the floor for a vote. The Schumer amendment would have provided the closed federal agencies with funding for two weeks.
Pres. Trump announced today that he'd be willing to support legislation that trades amnesty for DACA recipients and illegal aliens who have received temporary protected status (TPS) in exchange for $5.7 billion of border wall funding. The offer also would have to include additional funding for more border patrol agents and immigration judges to handle the backlog of immigration cases.
Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) and Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) have introduced legislation that would provide a permanent amnesty to certain illegal farm workers in the United States. Under the legislation, qualifying illegal-alien farm workers would receive a temporary work permit to continue farm work. They would be eligible for green cards after three years.
A group of 20 Senators from both sides of the aisle are reportedly working on a compromise aimed at ending the nearly month-long partial government shutdown over Pres. Trump's request for $5.7 billion to build additional barriers along the U.S.-Mexico border. No details of any possible deal have been released, but the Gang of 20 Senators plan to send Pres. Trump a letter urging him to agree to a 3-week spending bill to re-open the government, while a proposal is drafted.
Despite the constant drumbeat of reports to the contrary, there is no worker shortage in the United States. If there were, our crops would go unpicked, our lawns unmown, and our computer games uncoded. Maybe there's something else behind these claims.
Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker called for increased border security and changes to asylum law in a speech to the local Department of Justice office in Austin, Texas on Tuesday. Whitaker said the United States needs to close up loopholes that allow illegal aliens to falsely claim asylum in the United States, allowing them to stay in the United States for an extended period of time.
Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker called for increased border security and changes to asylum law in a speech to the local Department of Justice office in Austin, Texas on Tuesday. Whitaker said the United States needs to close up loopholes that allow illegal aliens to falsely claim asylum in the United States, allowing them to stay in the United States for an extended period of time.
Thanks to the feckless Republican leadership, President Trump is unlikely to get funding for his border “wall” or legislative solutions for the Southwest border crisis before the new Congress. Democrats are now firmly against even a bad deal like a DACA amnesty/wall funding trade. He will either have to veto the next continuing resolution, hoping the Democrats will change their mind, or rethink how he can win against a Democrat-controlled House and filibuster-limited Senate. Since a pre-Christmas shutdown is likely to produce only animosity, President Trump should think about re-branding his "wall" to increase public support for a broader solution next year.