As senators in both parties work to write immigration reform legislation by the end of the week, President Trump on Feb. 14 urged them to oppose any bill that did not also embrace the "four pillars" of his immigration approach, which includes a rewrite of U.S. immigration laws that would close the country's borders to many immigrants trying to come to the U.S. legally, according to The New York Times.
"I am asking all senators, in both parties, to support the Grassley bill and to oppose any legislation that fails to fulfill these four pillars," Trump said, referring to the measure's chief sponsor, Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa).
Grassley's immigration legislation would provide a path to citizenship for 1.8 million young immigrants, end the visa lottery program, build a border wall and end what he calls "chain migration," which is family-based immigration.
"The overwhelming majority of American voters support a plan that fulfills the Framework's four pillars, which move us towards the safe, modern and lawful immigration system our people deserve," Trump said.
Senators are trying to find a compromise, creating legislation that could gain broad support by increasing border security while also offering a path to citizenship for immigrants brought to the U.S. as children. Trump's statement could increase the odds of political gridlock as the Senate debates the issue.
Trump said he would oppose a smaller, quick-fix approach to immigration that some lawmakers have been discussing, which would protect Dreamers for a few years in exchange for a small increase in border security spending.
Although Democratic and Republican senators are perplexed by Trump's statement, several senior White House advisers told reporters that Trump will not yield in his support for a hardline approach to immigration and said Dreamers should blame Democrats if legislation does not pass. One senior adviser said the president had made "dramatic concessions" by agreeing to a path to citizenship for 1.8 million young immigrants.
A competing bipartisan immigration measure being offered by Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Chris Coons (D-Del.) would call for more border security but would not directly finance construction of a border wall Trump has promised. It also would offer a way for Dreamers to become legal.
"The McCain-Coons proposal would increase illegal immigration, surge chain migration, continue catch-and-release and give a pathway to citizenship to convicted alien felons," said a statement from the Department of Homeland Security regarding the bill.
The top Republicans in the House and Senate praised the statements from the Trump administration.
House Speaker Paul Ryan said "the president did a very good job of putting a very sincere offer on the table. And that sincere offer that he put on the table should be the framework through which we come together to find a solution."
Sen. Lindsay Graham (R-S.C.) said there is "growing consensus" regarding a two-pronged approach, in which protections would be extended for about 1.8 million undocumented immigrants brought as children, in exchange for the full $25 billion for the president's proposed border wall.
Regarding Trump's veto threat, Graham said: "Well, then, we won't go very far. Then you'll have three presidents who failed. You'll have Obama, Bush and Trump."
