Sen. Lindsey Graham (R., S.C.) said Tuesday that President Donald Trump’s recent actions have contributed to make the immigration reform debate in Washington, D.C a "s—show."
At a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing with Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, Graham laid out an argument for how Trump could lead a bipartisan compromise on immigration. Graham expressed frustration with Trump’s comments Thursday about restricting immigration from "s—hole countries," and he said the matter has worsened, requiring newfound bipartisan cooperation to reach a deal and avert a government shutdown.
"This has turned into a s—show, and we need to get back to being a great country where Democrats and Republicans work together to do something that we should have done years ago," Graham said.
Graham sympathized with Trump’s shifting stance on the matter, saying the president took a different position in a Tuesday meeting than the Thursday meeting, where Graham said he insulted other countries. He preferred Trump’s cooperative attitude in Tuesday’s bipartisan meeting, but said emotions "ran hot" all-around.
"The president ran hot. I think I know why. Something happened between Tuesday and Thursday, and we'll get to the bottom of that," Graham said. "Quite frankly, I got pretty passionate and I ran a little hot, too. Somebody needs to fix this problem."
Graham outlined his vision of reforming immigration, which would begin with what Trump called "phase one" where those under Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) would be protected in exchange for starting to improve border security. He suggested to Nielsen that both sides would need to compromise.
"In phase one, to expect my friends on the other side to go comprehensive for us and DACA for them, it's not going to happen," Graham said. "I'm telling my friends on the other side, DACA and nothing else is not going to happen."
"The sweet spot is DACA plus more than the DACA kids and making down payments on border security, moving slowly but surely toward a merit-based immigration system, to be followed by phase two," Graham added.
He then said phase two should include the implementation of full border security as well as a pathway to citizenship for the majority of the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants, most of whom "are not crooks, drug dealers, rapists, felons." He also said he expects the future system to result in merit-based immigration, an overall increase in immigration, and a secure border.
"I'm going to try to get you through phase one," Graham told Nielsen.
"The president is watching, I'm still in the phone book. Don't give my number out, but call me," he said, a jocular reference to Trump reading out his cell phone number at a 2016 campaign event.
Graham expressed hope for bipartisan action on the matter, praising Sen. Dick Durbin (D., Ill.), a vocal critic of Trump's so-described behavior during the Thursday meeting. Graham praised Durbin for being a liberal Democrat who is "decent" and "honest."