Democratic Illinois Senator Dick Durbin came out against the border security proposal announced by President Donald Trump on Saturday, publishing a statement before the president even delivered his remarks.
In his statement, the Senate Minority Whip explained that he could not accept the deal Trump offered. “I cannot support the proposed offer as reported, and I do not believe it can pass the Senate.”
My response to reported White House offer to end President Trump’s government shutdown in exchange for the border wall and DACA: pic.twitter.com/WhsJgRNW56
— Senator Dick Durbin (@SenatorDurbin) January 19, 2019
The president’s plan included a three-year extension of legal protections for DACA recipients and those in Temporary Protected Status (TPS) — concessions that mirror those proposed in December 2016 in the bipartisan Bridge Act.
The Bridge Act was drafted to protect Dreamers after then President-elect Trump promised to tear up the Obama-era executive order that put DACA on the books in the first place.
Republican South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, who co-sponsored the bill in 2016 and has said several times that Trump should consider offering DACA protections in exchange for the security measures he wants, told Politico why he supported the bill. (RELATED: Trump Deal? President Expected To Offer DACA Fix In Exchange For Wall Funding)
“In my view, the [executive action] issued by President Obama was unconstitutional and President-elect Trump would be right to repeal it,” he said. “However, I do not believe we should pull the rug out and push these young men and women — who came out of the shadows and registered with the federal government — back into the darkness.”
Graham’s co-sponsor on Bridge Act was the very same senator who announced Saturday he would reject a deal from the White House that included everything he asked for just over two years ago.
We must move on the Bridge Act quickly to protect DREAMers. https://t.co/k7ew0sQ3Lr
— Dick Durbin (@DickDurbin) December 11, 2016
The BRIDGE Act would ensure that millions of DREAMers remain in this country while we do our work in the House & Senate on immigration.
— Dick Durbin (@DickDurbin) January 4, 2017
Durbin was not alone in his rejection of the president’s Saturday proposal. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also issued a statement ahead of the announcement, saying that Trump’s proposal was not a “good faith effort” to bring about negotiations.
Democrats were hopeful that @realDonaldTrump was finally willing to re-open government & proceed with a much-needed discussion to protect the border. Unfortunately, reports make clear that his proposal is a compilation of previously rejected initiatives. https://t.co/MFwebWSevG pic.twitter.com/yMTm4iP27h
— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) January 19, 2019
Despite objections from a number of Democrats, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is expected to bring the president’s proposal before the Senate in the next week.
I commend @POTUS for his leadership in proposing this bold solution to reopen the government, secure the border, and take bipartisan steps toward addressing current immigration issues.
My full statement: https://t.co/3lfItBQzEC— Leader McConnell (@senatemajldr) January 19, 2019