Democrats Withdraw Offer to Fund US-Mexico Border Wall
Local Editor
US Democrats rescinded an offer they had made to US President Donald Trump during negotiations on Tuesday, as the debate continues over the future of illegal immigrants classified as "dreamers."
The day after Democrats agreed to end the government shutdown and return to the negotiating table, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer asserted that he would not agree to fund the wall as Trump had not made good on his end of the bargain to protect the Deferred Action on Child Arrivals [DACA] program that shields immigrants brought to the country as children from deportation, but expires on March 5.
"So we're going to have to start on a new basis and the wall offer is off the table," Schumer said.
There are an estimated 700,000 "Dreamers" whose fates are up in the air.
Congress put the US government back in business Monday by voting to end a three-day shutdown, as Trump claimed victory in his standoff with Democrats in Washington.
The House voted 266 to 150 to extend federal funding, hours after Senate Democrats dropped their opposition to the plan after winning Republican assurances of a vote on immigration in the coming weeks.
The stalemate consumed Washington for the better part of a week, as lawmakers and the White House feuded over immigration policy and the nation's two main political parties exchanged bitter barbs before finally reaching a deal.
Trump has staked his political fortunes on taking a hard line on immigrants, painting them as criminals and scroungers.
Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team
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