Trump Open to Government Shutdown If Border Wall Isn’t Funded – Dems Push For Amnesty Deal
President Donald Trump has said that he is supportive of a government shutdown if Congress fails to appropriate the necessary funds to construct the border wall that he promised when he ran for president.
Trump’s comments came during a rally in Phoenix, Arizona on Tuesday.
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“Now the obstructionist Democrats would like us not to do it, but believe me — if we have to close down our government, we’re building that wall,” he told the crowd. “Let me be very clear to Democrats in Congress who oppose the border wall and stand in the way of border security, you are putting all of America’s safety at risk.”
Trump also added, “The most sacred duty of government is to protect the lives of its citizens and that includes securing our borders and enforcing our immigration laws.”
Amid the speech, Trump seemed to also indicate that he would be pardoning former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who was recently convicted of contempt of court for ignoring a judicial order to halt his immigration patrols.
“Do the people in this room like Sheriff Joe Arpaio? So was Sheriff Joe convicted for doing his job?” Trump asked.
“He should have had a jury, but you know what, I’ll make a prediction, I think he’ll be just fine, OK?” he said before adding, “But I won’t do it tonight, because I don’t want to cause any controversy, is that OK? But Sheriff Joe can feel good.”
Several of Trump’s advisors allegedly wanting him to make a deal with Democrats for amnesty for DREAMers as part of a bigger immigration package deal.
One of Trump’s promises was to “cancel every unconstitutional executive action, memorandum and order issued by President Obama,) but he has refused to rescind Obama’s DACA amnesty and has said he would like a comprehensive immigration bill.
Now, he is currently weighing whether or not he will allow a government shutdown or give in and give amnesty to at least 800,000 illegal aliens rather than enforce the law.
Leo Hohmann writes at WND:
White House advisers led by Chief of Staff John Kelly want Trump to strike a deal with Congress that offers amnesty to so-called Dreamers (Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors) in exchange for legislation that pays for a border wall and more detention facilities, trims legal immigration to more sustainable levels and implements E-verify, an online system that allows businesses to check immigration status, administration sources familiar with the negotiations told McClatchy News Service.
The group reportedly includes former and current White House chiefs of staff, Reince Priebus and Kelly, the president’s daughter, Ivanka Trump, and her husband, Jared Kushner.
“Others who have not been as vocal publicly about their stance but are thought to agree include Vice President Mike Pence, who as a congressman worked on a failed immigration deal that called for citizenship, National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster and Gary Cohn, a Democrat who serves as director of the National Economic Council,” McClatchy reports.
On the other side, opposing amnesty, is a smaller group that includes Attorney General Jeff Sessions and his former aides: Stephen Miller, who serves as Trump’s senior policy adviser, and Rick Dearborn, White House deputy chief of staff.
“He’s getting conflicting advice inside, and that’s caused hesitation,” said Rosemary Jenks, director of government relations of Numbers USA, a group that opposes protecting Dreamers and is in talks with the administration. “Obviously the president doesn’t want to make a decision but he has to.”
Kelly has reportedly ordered Miller not to brief the president on the issue, according to two of the sources speaking to McClatchy. Miller has briefed Trump many times on Dreamers so his views are known, “but the president has a tendency to side with the last person who speaks to him, and Kelly, who became chief of staff three weeks ago, has kept a tight watch on who gets to talk to Trump,” the report states.
Roughly 800,000 illegal immigrants, mostly those under 21 who arrived with their parents, are currently protected by the Obama-era program for Dreamers, also called DACA for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. Many corporate executives and donors support the program.
“The Trump administration has continued to allow Dreamers to apply for the program and even renew their permits – at nearly the rate of the Obama administration – much to the dismay of some of his own supporters who want him to make good on his campaign promise,” McClatchy reports.
I’d love to see President Trump actually allow a government shutdown, a real one, not like this bogus giving non-essential people weeks off with pay kind of thing, but a real government shutdown and use his Twitter bully pulpit to put all the blame on the Democrats while saving enough money in the process of the shutdown to build the wall.
Yes, I should be in politics, shouldn’t I?
But seriously, that is needed in this country in order to demonstrate just how much we don’t need DC and can take care of ourselves, thank you very much.
Sadly, I know that many people are on government welfare, social programs, and socialist retirement and health care programs and will pitch a fit, including those in conservative circles, but somewhere along the line, we’re going to have to pay a price if we are to right the some of the issues that have gone on way too long without being dealt with.
Juliegrace Brufke reports, “Funding the government is slated to be one of Congress’ top priorities when lawmakers get back from their August recess because current funding expires on Sept. 30. Republican leadership will likely need some Democratic support to pass the spending measure through both chambers.”
“The House passed a minibus ahead of recess that included $1.6 billion for a physical barrier along the southern border,” she added. “Trump could veto a spending bill that doesn’t include funding for the wall.”
Just once, I’d like to see Trump take that stand and watch the establishment sellouts go into full meltdown. Wouldn’t you?
