On Saturday, President Donald Trump announced a plan to end the partial government shutdown, which was met with an immediate rejection by Democratic leaders who opted to keep the government shut down.
According to a statement from the White House, the deal proposed by the president included:
- $5.7 billion to fund a steel barrier system, including embedded investments in technology and roads, on our southern border in the priority areas cited by Border Patrol.
- This is in addition to the more than 115 miles of barriers already built, replaced, or contracted under President Trump.
- $805 million for technology, canines, and personnel to help stop the flow of illegal drugs, weapons and other contraband. This includes:
- $675 million for drug detection inspection technology to help secure our ports of entry.
- $130 million for canine units, training, personnel and portable scanners to help deter and detect smuggled narcotics, weapons, and other dangerous materials.
- $800 million dollars in humanitarian assistance, medical support, and new temporary housing.
- $782 million to hire an additional 2,750 border agents, law enforcement officers, and staff.
- $563 million to support our immigration court system, including hiring 75 new immigration judge teams to reduce the immigration court backlog of 800,000 cases.
In exchange for the requests, the Trump administration offered:
- Provisional status will be granted for three years for current DACA recipients, covering 700,000 illegal immigrants brought here by their parents at a young age.
- This status will give them access to work permits, social security numbers, and protection from deportation.
- Provisional status will be granted to certain current TPS recipients for three years, providing 300,000 immigrants whose protected status is facing expiration more certainty as Congress works on a larger immigration deal.
WATCH:
Moments before Trump’s speech, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi signaled that the Democrats would not accept the offer, opting to keep the government shutdown.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer immediately rejected Trump’s offer, claiming that Trump offering protections for DACA and TPS recipients “is not a compromise but more hostage taking.”
Trump’s attempt to meet the Democrats halfway by offering extended protections for DACA and TPS recipients was not well received by some of the president’s top supporters.
“100 miles of border wall in exchange for amnestying millions of illegals,” Ann Coulter tweeted. “So if we grant citizenship to a BILLION foreigners, maybe we can finally get a full border wall.”
Michelle Malkin expressed skepticism toward Trump’s offer, tweeting: “Immediate: 3 yrs of amnesty for 700,000 illegal aliens who’ll get work permits, Social Security #s & protection from deportation. Immediate: Temporary (read: Permanent) Protected Status extension for 300k illegal aliens. Later. Maybe. Someday: 230 miles of steel barriers.”
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