WASHINGTON – President Trump said Sunday that there would be no deal to legalize the status of millions of “dreamers,” undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children, and directed congressional Republicans to pass tough new immigration legislation.
In a Tweet-fest from Florida, Trump criticized Mexico for doing nothing to secure the border adding the situation is “getting more dangerous.” He threatened to “stop” the North American Free Trade Agreement if Mexico does not “stop the big drug and people flows.”
“NO MORE DACA DEAL,” he posted about an hour after wishing Americans a “HAPPY EASTER.”
As he walked into an Episcopal service at Bethesda-by-the-Sea with wife, Melania, and daughter, Tiffany, Trump accused congressional Democrats of stymying a potential deal to protect so-called “dreamers.”
“A lot of people are coming in because they want to take advantage of DACA,” Trump said. “They had a great chance. The Democrats blew it.”
DACA stands for “Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals.”
“Mexico has got to help us at the border. …They flow right through Mexico, they send them into the United States. It can’t happen like that way anymore.”
In the first immigration-related tweet Trump wrote, “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!”
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
The DACA program was begun during the Obama administration to provide temporary protection to “dreamers.” Trump canceled DACA last fall but said that he would like to reach a deal with Congress to protect the dreamers from deportation in exchange for funding to build his long-promised wall at the U.S.-Mexico border. Democrats rejected his compromises.
In a second tweet, Trump lashed out at Mexico and threatened to “stop” the North American Free Trade Agreement, saying Mexican authorities are not doing enough to secure the border with the United States.
“Mexico is doing very little, if not NOTHING, at stopping people from flowing into Mexico through their Southern Border, and then into the U.S.,” he wrote. “They laugh at our dumb immigration laws. They must stop the big drug and people flows, or I will stop their cash cow, NAFTA. NEED WALL!”
Mexico is doing very little, if not NOTHING, at stopping people from flowing into Mexico through their Southern Border, and then into the U.S. They laugh at our dumb immigration laws. They must stop the big drug and people flows, or I will stop their cash cow, NAFTA. NEED WALL!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 1, 2018
In his third tweet, the president wrote, “These big flows of people are all trying to take advantage of DACA. They want in on the act!”
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
Trump sent his tweet on the fourth day of his vacation in Palm Beach, Fla., where he has been staying at his private Mar-a-Lago Club with a small coterie of aides. White House Chief of Staff John F. Kelly did not travel with him, but senior policy adviser Stephen Miller has been spending the Easter weekend with Trump.
By calling for Republicans to use the “Nuclear Option” to pass tough new immigration measures, Trump was urging Senate Republicans to pass legislation with a simple majority of 51 votes as opposed to the 60-vote majority required to end debate and bring a vote to the floor.
