Senators Reach Deal on Dreamers, Wall

Leaders hope to end showdown with Thursday vote
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Feb 15, 2018 12:11 AM CST
Senators Reach Deal on Dreamers, Wall
Sen. Bob Menendez leaves the chamber after a speech which criticized President Donald Trump's immigration policy and supported "Dreamers," Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018.   (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

A group of senators reached a bipartisan agreement Wednesday aimed at balancing Democrats' fight to offer citizenship to young "Dreamer" immigrants with President Trump's demands for billions to build his coveted border wall with Mexico. Though the compromise was announced by 16 senators with centrist views on the issue and is winning support from many Democrats, it faces an uncertain fate, the AP reports. Leaders are trying to schedule votes on that plan and three other immigration proposals for Thursday, which they hope will bring the chamber's showdown over the hot-button issue to a close.

While not specifically mentioning the bipartisan pact, Trump urged lawmakers to oppose any plan that doesn't meet his more stringent demands, which include curbs on legal immigration and the abolition of a visa lottery. The Senate's No. 2 Republican, John Cornyn of Texas, warned that lawmakers need to address Trump's entire proposal, saying, "We need to take the president seriously." There were also qualms among Democrats. The party's No. 2 Senate leader, Richard Durbin of Illinois, said some Democrats had "serious issues" with parts of the plan. Those concerns focused on its spending for Trump's wall and its bar against Dreamers sponsoring their parents for legal residency. "We're not there yet," Durbin said of the 60 votes the proposal would need for approval.

(More immigration stories.)

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