President Donald Trump reiterated that he would like to collaborate with Democrats to find a proper legislative solution to allow those protected by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program to stay in the country. But, he added, the program is feasible only if it comes with the long-promised border wall and changes to the immigration system, CNN reported.
Trump met the Republican leaders from Camp David and expressed that he wants the DACA program which has enabled young undocumented immigrants who were brought into the country as children to stay in the country.
The Trump administration has requested Congress to spend $18 billion over the next 10 years to build the wall. Later Trump told reporters, “We want DACA to happen, we all, everybody. I think I can speak for everybody, we want–(Republican Sen.) John Cornyn from Texas–we all want DACA to happen, but we also want great security for our country.”
Democrats have been trying to find a permanent DACA solution by granting funds to the government. Trump has been insisting that there will be no DACA program without the funding of the border wall that he has promised during the presidential elections.
“And remember this, its just common sense, thet are not sending us their finest,OK,” Trump said. “When somebody gets picked in the lottery, we are not getting the best people. So we have to get rid of the lottery system. We have to get rid of chain migration. We have to have the wall.”
Trump said that Mexico will pay for his proposed wall on the US-Mexico border and it was reported that he will ask Congress for $188 billion to fund the wall.
“Yes, I believe Mexico will pay for the wall,” Trump said. “I have a very good relationship with Mexico. As you know, we’re negotiating NAFTA. We will see how that goes. Yes, but Mexico will pay. In some form, Mexico will pay for the wall.”
Dick Durbin of Illinois, the No.2 Democrat in the Senate, has criticized the request made by the administration for wall and border security spending.
Regarding this episode, Durbin induced a shutdown warning, with government funding scheduled to run out on January 19 and a long-term budget will require Democratic votes.
On the spending request, Durbin said in a statement, “With this demand, he seems to be heading in that direction. Its outrageous that the White House would undercut months of bipartisan efforts by again trying to put its entire wish-list of hardline anti-immigrant bills- plus an additional $18 billion in wall funding- on the backs of these young people. Bipartisan negotiations continue in good faith among senators who understand what is at stake, and I will continue my efforts to reach a bipartisan agreement.”