Top aide: Trump open to a DACA solution
On President Trump’s immigration priorities, White House legislative affairs director @Marcshort45 tells @GStephanopoulos, “If we don’t solve the chain migration, visa lottery programs, we will back here in a few years” having a similar debate. pic.twitter.com/hmhZDh1MEL
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) January 21, 2018
President Trump’s legislative director, Marc Short, said on Sunday Trump is open to a legislative fix for recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program as the government enters its second day of the shutdown.
“Keep in mind, these are people aged 16-36 with work permits, which means they do not have any criminal background. They’re here being productive to our country,” Short told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos on “This Week.”
{mosads}”I think you’ve seen the White House show an openness to expand that population, while Democrats have said there are other people who should be part of the DACA population because they were either afraid or didn’t apply to the program. We’ve shown a willingness to consider that. So we feel like we’re making progress on multiple areas.”
Senate Republicans and Democrats failed to reach a midnight deadline on Saturday to fund the government, resulting in the shutdown.
Democrats said they opposed the measure due to the lack of a DACA fix in the legislation. Trump last year said he would end the Obama-era program, which protects certain young immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children from deportation, but gave Congress time to come up with a legislative solution.
Republicans have in turn accused Senate Democrats of holding the government hostage.
The White House previously said it would not negotiate with Democrats on the fix while the government was shut down.
However, Short said on Sunday the White House is showing flexibility.
“I think you’ve seen us move throughout the negotiation on immigration,” he said.