Dominique A. Pineiro/ZUMA
President Donald Trump said on Twitter Thursday morning that “no deal” had been brokered with Democrats to protect so-called Dreamers—undocumented immigrants who arrived in the United States as children—from deportation. The tweets come hours after Senate and House minority leaders Chuck Schumer (D-N,Y.) and Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) announced that they and Trump had agreed to hammer out a deal that would protect Dreamers while beefing up border security. The deal, the Democrats said, would not include funding for Trump’s proposed border wall.
No deal was made last night on DACA. Massive border security would have to be agreed to in exchange for consent. Would be subject to vote.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 14, 2017
The WALL, which is already under construction in the form of new renovation of old and existing fences and walls, will continue to be built.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 14, 2017
The back-and-forth follows Trump’s decision earlier this month to end President Barack Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, under which Dreamers were permitted to remain in the country and work. Trump has suggested that Congress should instead pass a law to protect Dreamers.
Moments after disputing Democratic claims that a deal had been reached, Trump tweeted what appeared to be an argument for allowing Dreamers to remain in the country.
Does anybody really want to throw out good, educated and accomplished young people who have jobs, some serving in the military? Really!…..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 14, 2017
…They have been in our country for many years through no fault of their own – brought in by parents at young age. Plus BIG border security
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 14, 2017
The announcement from Democrats on Wednesday sparked immediate outrage from the president’s base. White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders released a statement confirming that the three had discussed DACA and border security, but she said that “excluding the wall was certainly not agreed to.”
