President Donald Trump said in a speech at a Republican retreat on Thursday that Democrats will not be able to make immigration a successful campaign issue against the GOP this year.
Speaking to Republican lawmakers in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, Trump repeated the four pillars of his immigration reform framework: a pathway to citizenship for 1.8 million illegal immigrants brought to the U.S. as children, securing the border, and ending both chain migration and the diversity visa lottery.
At the retreat, Trump said his position reflects the mainstream views of everyday Americans and the GOP should not approve of Democrats blocking such legislation.
"If the Democrats choose to filibuster a framework that includes a generous path to citizenship or something that is not fair, we are not going to approve it," Trump said.
Trump concluded that Democrats are simply too stubborn to approve anything Republicans propose, so he advised his fellow Republicans to take a strong line going into the 2018 midterm elections.
"One of the reasons I gave a number that I thought was a very generous number [of illegal immigrants to legalize] was because I wanted to see whether or not they were interested in approving that, because if they don't approve something within that sphere, that means, very simply, that they're not looking to approve it at all," he said. "They want to use it for an election issue, but it's now an election issue that will go to our benefit, not their benefit."
Many Democrats have dismissed Trump's offer of amnesty to 1.8 million illegal immigrants in exchange for border security and immigration restriction. Rep. Joe Crowley (D., N.Y.) even said that proposing a pathway to citizenship for more illegal immigrants was just a way to take more "hostages."
Trump argued that the conflict over immigration reform is hampered by Democratic opponents who will not accept a deal that is equitable and focuses on security.
"So we'll either have something that's fair and equitable and good and secure, or we're going to have nothing at all," he said. "And this has been going on for many years."