President Donald Trump on Monday put pressure on House and Senate Democrats to strike a deal on the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, saying they "don't care" about DACA and questioning why they have not reached an agreement with Republicans.
Trump set Monday's deadline for DACA back in September after he rescinded the program and imposed Congress to propose a permanent solution to the immigration plan, which shields hundreds of thousands of undocumented "Dreamers" from deportation.
"It’s March 5th and Democrats are nowhere to be found on DACA. Gave them 6 months, they just don’t care. Where are they? We are ready to make a deal!" Trump tweeted.
It’s March 5th and the Democrats are nowhere to be found on DACA. Gave them 6 months, they just don’t care. Where are they? We are ready to make a deal!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 5, 2018
Trump's attack on Democrats follows their resistance to his proposed immigration plan last month, which they argued didn't include a fix for DACA. The plan was a a compromise that offered legalization for 1.8 million people, which is more than double the 700,000 current DACA recipients, in exchange for border security funding and a move to a merit-based immigration system.
While some Democrats like House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) and Sen. Kristen Gillibrand (D., N.Y.) were opposed to Trump's immigration plan, Rep. Gerry Connolly (D., Va.) believed it was a "mistake" for Democrats to threaten to shut down the government over the immigration program.
"Negotiations on DACA have begun. Republicans want to make a deal and Democrats say they want to make a deal. Wouldn’t it be great if we could finally, after so many years, solve the DACA puzzle. This will be our last chance, there will never be another opportunity! March 5th," Trump tweeted last month.
Negotiations on DACA have begun. Republicans want to make a deal and Democrats say they want to make a deal. Wouldn’t it be great if we could finally, after so many years, solve the DACA puzzle. This will be our last chance, there will never be another opportunity! March 5th.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 13, 2018