President Trump on Tuesday night delivered a blunt message to Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), saying there would be no agreement to help so-called Dreamers without funding for the president’s long-promised border wall.
“Cryin’ Chuck Schumer fully understands, especially after his humiliating defeat, that if there is no Wall, there is no DACA. We must have safety and security, together with a strong Military, for our great people!” Trump tweeted.
The president was referring to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, an Obama-era initiative that offers certain protections to undocumented immigrants, popularly known as Dreamers, who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children.
{mosads}Democrats fought to have a DACA fix tied to a funding bill to end the government’s three-day shutdown, but they eventually backed down after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said he would take up immigration legislation in February.
Schumer came under fire from the left-wing faction of his party for caving to the GOP over the DACA issue. The Senate minority leader said he had discussed funding for a border wall at the White House on Friday as part of a potential deal.
Later, on Tuesday, Schumer confirmed he had withdrawn the offer.
“We’re going to have to start on a new basis and the wall offer is off the table,” Schumer told reporters.