Trump immigration plan includes money for wall
White House previews proposal aimed at avoiding filibuster, another shutdown
The White House floats an immigration proposal that could include a citizenship path for as many as 1.8 million young people plus contain $25 billion for a border wall and other security measures.
WASHINGTON – A White House proposal on immigration will contain a path to citizenship for up to 1.8 million young people brought into the USA as children and $25 billion for a border wall and other security measures.
President Trump’s plan includes a massive cut in family-based immigration and the end to a diversity visa lottery system that gives preference to immigrants from underrepresented countries, according to a White House briefing for congressional staffers and Trump allies hosted by White House senior adviser Stephen Miller.
The proposal is designed to win 60 Senate votes and break a potential filibuster that could trigger another government shutdown next month, Miller said.
The path to citizenship has been among the most contentious issues in the immigration debate over the past decade, and Trump has taken inconsistent positions on it. Wednesday, the president said he’s willing to consider citizenship for “DREAMers” who came to the USA as children.
“If they do a great job, I think it’s a nice thing to have the incentive of, after a period of years, being able to become a citizen,” Trump said. That period would be 10 to 12 years, Trump said.
The proposal to cut back familybased immigration is sure to draw fire from Democrats as it would be a nearly 25% cut to legal immigration into the country. Under the new plan, Miller said, U.S. citizens and green card hold-