Trump's immigration plan is already getting torn apart by Democrats

The White House released a framework for its immigration plan on Thursday.
The framework provided a pathway to citizenship for nearly 1.8 million immigrants that are either enrolled in or otherwise qualify for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.
But proposed changes to legal immigration programs and funding for a border wall drew ire from Democrats.

The White House on Thursday released a framework as an opening salvo ahead of bipartisan immigration talks. But Democrats were not pleased with the proposed deal, setting up another high-stakes showdown as the government lurches toward another potential shutdown early next month.

The White House framework proposes a path to citizenship for 1.8 million immigrants either enrolled in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program or otherwise qualify for it.

Codification of the DACA program has been central to Democrats' list of priorities during the previous government shutdown fight. A bipartisan working group has attempted to come to an agreement on the issue over the past month.

But Democrats bristled at several items in the White House proposal they said aimed to please the GOP's immigration hardliners.

That included $25 billion in proposed funding for Trump's long-promised wall along the border with Mexico, as well as changes to legal immigration programs.

Rep. Luis Gutierrez of Illinois likened the trade-off to a "ransom."

While Democrats took exception to the proposed border wall funding, the majority of their pushback focused on possible changes to the legal immigration system.

As part of a deal, Trump has proposed to curtail the family reunification system — which opponents brand "chain migration" — to immediate family members, as well as eliminate the diversity visa lottery.

"The White House claims to be compromising because the President now agrees with the overwhelming majority of Americans that Dreamers should have a pathway to citizenship," Sen. Dick Durbin, the No. 2 Democrat in the chamber who is closely involved in the talks, said in a statement Thursday.

He added: "But his plan would put the Administration’s entire hardline immigration agenda — including massive cuts to legal immigration — on the backs of these young people."

Another Democratic member involved in the negotiations, House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer, called it an example of Trump negotiating in bad faith.

Sen. Brian Schatz, a Democrat from Hawaii, also took issue with the proposed legal immigration changes on Twitter.

At the same time, many hardline conservative Republicans on immigration applauded the framework.

The full White House plan is set to be rolled out on Monday, and the Senate has set February 8 as the deadline to reach an immigration deal.

Trump's immigration plan is already getting torn apart by Democrats

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