Trump shuts door on deal for ‘Dreamer’ immigrants

PALM BEACH, Fla. — President Donald Trump on Sunday declared “NO MORE” to a deal to help “Dreamer” immigrants and threatened to pull out of a free trade agreement with Mexico unless it does more to stop people from crossing into the U.S. He claimed they’re coming to take advantage of protections granted certain immigrants.

“NO MORE DACA DEAL!” Trump tweeted one hour after he began the day by wishing his followers a “HAPPY EASTER!”

He said Mexico must “stop the big drug and people flows, or I will stop their cash cow, NAFTA. NEED WALL!” The U.S., Canada and Mexico are participating in tense negotiations over the North American Free Trade Agreement at Trump’s insistence. Trump says NAFTA is bad for the U.S.

“Mexico has got to help us at the border,” Trump, holding his wife’s hand, told reporters before the couple attended Easter services at an Episcopal church near his Palm Beach resort. “If they’re not going to help us at the border, it’s a very sad thing between our two countries.”

“A lot of people are coming in because they want to take advantage of DACA,” he added.

Former President Barack Obama created the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program to provide temporary protection and work permits to hundreds of thousands of immigrants who are living in the U.S. illegally after being brought here as children. Trump ended the program last year but gave Congress six months to pass legislation preserving it. A deal has so far proved elusive and Trump has blamed Democrats.

It was not clear what Trump was referring to when he said people are coming to take advantage of the program. The Obama administration allowed sign-ups during a set period and the program is closed to new entrants.

Some fellow Republicans chided Trump over the tone of his tweets.

“A true leader preserves & offers hope, doesn’t take hope from innocent children who call America home. Remember, today is Easter Sunday,” tweeted Ohio Gov. John Kasich, a Trump critic who challenged him for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination.