Trump threw a fit and blamed Chuck Schumer and the Democrats for his immigration bill getting the fewest votes of any immigration legislation considered by the Senate.
You can almost hear the tantrum in this statement by Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders:
Today, the Schumer Democrats in the Senate demonstrated again that they are not serious about DACA, they are not serious about immigration reform, and they are not serious about homeland security. They filibustered a proposal with an extremely generous path to citizenship because it also contained reforms that secured our border and secured our immigration system. The Grassley bill was a compromise bill—as demonstrated by the fact that some conservatives opposed its very generous DACA provisions. Yet, the Schumer Democrats chose to filibuster it because they are held hostage by the radical left in their party, which opposes any immigration control at all. Today, they sided with an extreme fringe over the hardworking men and women of the Department of Homeland Security. The Administration will continue advocating for an immigration package that includes border security, ending chain migration, cancelling the visa lottery, and a reasonable DACA solution—a proposal Americans support overwhelmingly. And while radical Schumer Democrats align themselves with the open border fringe, the Trump Administration will continue advocating for the American people. The next step will be for the House to continue advancing the proposal from Chairman Goodlatte and Chairman McCaul.
Democrats only have 49 votes in the Senate, but 60 Senators voted against the bill, which means that the rejection of Trump’s plan to basically end legal immigration into the country was bipartisan. Trump wants to blame Democrats for a rejection that came from both parties.
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Trump’s tantrum can’t hide the reality that his “Art of the Deal” negotiating nonsense doesn’t work on members of Congress. Trump can make one-sided offers, bully, and bluster his way to legislative success.
Trump blew up the DACA deal, and he could save the Dreamers with a stroke of his pen. The fact that he refuses to do so is not lost on anyone.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
