Democrats dig in on government shutdown
NEW YORK — Congressional Democrats aren’t backing down from their threats to reject any government funding bill that isn’t paired with amnesty for illegal immigrants, as hard-line liberal groups shrug off risks of a government shutdown.
Top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer said Wednesday there’s “very, very strong” sentiment among his party’s lawmakers to oppose GOP-drafted legislation that would only keep the government’s doors open for four weeks past a looming Friday deadline. Schumer did not say his caucus was entirely unified, but the rhetoric signaled growing chances that a stop-gap measure could come up short of votes in the Senate and federal agencies could begin closing their doors Friday at midnight.
“The overwhelming number in our caucus have said they don’t like this deal and they believe if we kick the can down the road this time we’ll be back where we started from next time,” Schumer told reporters. “So there’s very, very strong support not to go along with their deal.”
The hardening stance reflects the influence of an emboldened Democratic base clamoring for a showdown with the president over illegal immigration. The fight over the fate of the “dreamers” — some 700,000 illegal immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children — is increasingly becoming a test of Democrats’ progressive mettle, surpassing jobs or health care for Americans as the top priority for the liberal base.
On Capitol Hill, Democrats are being urged to let federal funding expire unless Republicans and President Donald Trump agree to extend the expiring Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.
That approach undoubtedly comes with risks for the moderates in the party — senators from states won by Trump such as West Virginia, Montana and Indiana. While the tough talk carries weight in some Democratic circles, it’s far from clear other voters will look kindly on using a federal shutdown as leverage in the fight over immigration.
“The Democrats want to shut down the government over amnesty for all and border security,” Trump tweeted Tuesday. “The biggest loser will be our rapidly rebuilding Military, at a time we need it more than ever.”
On Wednesday, ongoing talks over a deal showed no signs of progress. White House Chief of Staff John Kelly met with members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and expressed vague optimism about prospects — but attendees said Kelly would not commit to supporting one bipartisan proposal, introduced Tuesday by Rep. Will Hurd, R-Texas, and Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., which would provide protection for immigrants brought into the U.S. as young people and add resources for border security.
Clashes over health care and taxes dominated Trump’s initial year in office, even as his administration worked to secure the border. The administration has given agents leeway to detain and try to deport a wide range of people in the country illegal- ly, mostly criminals.
Corey Stewart, a proTrump Republican Senatee candidate in Virginia, said Trump is picking the right battle.
“It’s a smart fight,” Stewart said. “His biggest promise of the campaign trail wasl to crack down on illegal immigration and build a border wall. He cannot back down on this.”
Todd Schulte of FWD. US, which supports more immigration, also noted that people previously safe under DACA already are losing protections every day. While the program technically doesn’t expire until March 5, roughly 100 immigrants a day who didn’t renew their enrollment in time are losing permission to work and protection from being deported. That number will rise to 1,200 a day after March 5.