Beware Prez wall deal: gov

ALBANY — Gov. Cuomo urged congressional Democrats on Sunday to use “extreme caution” when cutting a deal with President Trump that protects the children of undocumented immigrants in exchange for more border-protection funding.

Cuomo said such a move could ultimately result in the creation of a “virtual wall” along the Mexican border to keep immigrants from crossing into the United States.

The governor added that cutting a deal is especially risky because he doesn’t believe Congress is actually prepared to end Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, that was put in place through an executive order by President Barack Obama as a way to protect children brought into the country illegally at a young age.

“I don’t like the starting point of this negotiation and I think the Democrats have to exercise extreme caution,” Cuomo said during an appearance on supermarket mogul John Catsimatidis’ AM970 radio show.

Chuck Schumer, leader of the Senate Democrats, and House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi last week met with Trump at the White House. Afterward, they announced they agreed to an immigration reform package that will protect the children of the undocumented immigrants, known as Dreamers, and provide more money for border security.

Schumer and Pelosi said the deal did not include building the President’s proposed wall along the Mexican border.

At a press conference Sunday, Schumer said there was “no way” the border protection would amount to a virtual wall.

“Most Americans — the vast majority — are for border security. They’re against a wall. So are we,” he told reporters at his Manhattan office.

“Most Americans — the vast majority, Democrats, Republicans and independents, are for letting (in) these Dreamers, who were brought into the country when they were little children, (through) no fault of their own.

“They’re now working, paying taxes, speaking English, going to college, many of them are in the armed services — a vast majority of Americans don’t think they should be sent home.”

Trump has already acknowledged his coveted Mexican border wall won’t be part of the DACA deal, Schumer said.

“If we can work out an agreement with President Trump on those two issues, great,” he said. “And I told the President unequivocally, no wall. And he said, ‘No wall attached to Dreamers.’ He’ll try to get it somewhere else. We’ll try to fight him somewhere else. He won’t get the wall.”

But Cuomo, who has been mentioned as a potential 2020 Democratic presidential candidate, suggested the deal could wind up blowing up in the Democrats’ faces, especially because he’s not convinced Congress would allow DACA to end.

Trump announced an end to the program, but allowed a sixmonth delay for Congress to act.

“(In) any transaction, there’s both the opportunity to do well and there’s possibility of peril,” Cuomo said.

In this case, Cuomo argued, “what the transaction is, is the President saying to the Democrats, ‘I’ll give you what you already have, which is DACA, and in exchange, I want more money for border security with Mexico, which . . . is going to turn into a wall by the time he’s finished.”

He predicted Trump will use the extra security money to install cameras, sensors and an electric grid along the border that would sound an alarm if anyone crosses the grid.

“Then the President will say, ‘I have a cyberwall. Better than the wall we were talking about. Better than a fence. This is a new electronic, highly sophisticated fence. This is a fence for 2020.’

“That’s where it’s going to come out. I guarantee you,” Cuomo said.

I don’t like the starting point of this negotiation and I think the Democrats have to exercise extreme caution. GOV. CUOMO