Trump Plays Nice with Dems on DACA Negotiations

President Trump has decided to give in to Democrats’ demands that he legalize the Dreamers – hundreds of thousands of young illegals who applied for protections under DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals).

Trump recently announced he would be ending the Obama-era policy with a six-month grace period designed to give Congress a chance to figure out what to do about current DACA recipients. He defended DACA recipients on Twitter, calling them, “good, educated and accomplished young people” who “have been in our country for many years through no fault of their own.” 

Trump is now working with Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) on a deal he promises will not include the border wall. He has promised that key GOP lawmakers are “very much on board” with the plan, but more than a few Republicans are angry with his decision to work with the Democrats on this issue.

Some Republicans fear a repeat of the 1986 amnesty that legalized millions of illegals and but failed to uphold its promises of stricter enforcement.

The details of the Trump-Pelosi-Schumer legislation remain unclear, but we expect it will grant full legal status to all Dreamers in exchange for tough border security provisions. 

“No deal was made last night on DACA,” tweeted Trump on Thursday. “Massive border security would have to be agreed to in exchange for consent. Would be subject to vote.” 

If the plan goes through, it will be the second major deal Trump has struck with Pelosi and Schmer this month, following an agreement on the debt ceiling and government spending that shocked and angered many Republicans. 

“What remains to be negotiated are the details of border security, with a mutual goal of finalizing all details as soon as possible,” reads a statement by Pelosi and Schumer. “While both sides agreed that the wall would not be any part of this agreement, the President made clear he intends to pursue it at a later time, and we made clear we would continue to oppose it.” 

Later on Thursday, as Trump traveled to Florida to support the state’s citizens in the wake of Hurricane Irma, he reiterated his promise to revisit the border wall: “The wall will come later, we’re right now renovating large sections of wall, massive sections, making it brand new.”

The US Customs and Border Patrol has indeed started to move forward on the border wall. Just this month, the agency has started to award contracts to build mock-ups of the wall. Trump has estimated the border wall will cost between $8 and $12 billion and has threatened to shut down the government if Congress doesn’t give him the money.