Democrat: Trump has tried to ‘gaslight’ the country on his ‘true position’ on DACA

Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) said on Sunday that President Trump’s latest tweet stating his opposition to a Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program deal proves the president was always “anti-immigrant.”

“The mask of deceptions and lies with which Trump has tried to gaslight the country for months just fell away: ‘no more DACA deal,’ ” Beyer tweeted on Sunday, quoting Trump’s earlier tweet. “His true position was always anti-immigrant.”

The mask of deceptions and lies with which Trump has tried to gaslight the country for months just fell away: “no more DACA deal.”

His true position was always anti-immigrant. https://t.co/VLeT6Js1lX

— Rep. Don Beyer (@RepDonBeyer) April 1, 2018

Trump tweeted on Sunday morning that Republicans must change Senate laws to pass tougher border and immigration legislation and also implied he would no longer support a bipartisan deal for a DACA fix.

Border Patrol Agents are not allowed to properly do their job at the Border because of ridiculous liberal (Democrat) laws like Catch & Release. Getting more dangerous. “Caravans” coming. Republicans must go to Nuclear Option to pass tough laws NOW. NO MORE DACA DEAL!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 1, 2018

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DACA was an Obama-era program that provided protections for certain immigrants who came to the U.S. illegally as minors. Trump ended the program last year and called on Congress to come up with a new law to protect the “Dreamers.”

In another tweet on Sunday, Trump said other immigrants are trying to take advantage of DACA.

These big flows of people are all trying to take advantage of DACA. They want in on the act!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 1, 2018

“A lot of people are coming in because they want to take advantage of DACA,” Trump told reporters later Sunday morning on his way into Easter services. “They had a great chance, the Democrats blew it. They had a great, great chance.”

In previous negotiations, Trump had called for a DACA deal that would include funding for a border wall. He hit Democrats for failing to agree to a deal he could back but also refused to sign a number of bipartisan deals that were drawn up.