US Congress gridlocked as budget, immigration deadlines loom

WASHINGTON — Bitterly divided US lawmakers return this week to face a shrinking window for reaching deals on immigration, federal spending and the debt, as Republican infighting swirls and President Donald J. Trump complains he is getting zero cooperation from Democrats.

Mr. Trump vowed during his State of the Union address last week to “extend an open hand” to both parties in pursuing an immigration deal that shields 1.8 million undocumented migrants from deportation.

But his proposal has been savaged by opposition Democrats, and Mr. Trump’s “open hand” soon wagged an accusatory finger.

“They Resist, Blame, Complain and Obstruct — and do nothing” to break the immigration stalemate, Mr. Trump tweeted a few days after his Jan. 30 speech.

Congress has also been haggling over spending caps for domestic programs and the military as they seek to finalize a budget for the remainder of 2018.

But Republican leaders have acknowledged they will not meet a Thursday deadline for a spending bill, and will have to pass yet another stopgap measure this week — with help from Democrats — to avoid a government shutdown. —