In January, the government shut down for three days while members of Congress negotiated a stop-gap spending bill

The threat of a shutdown looms this week as Congress and the White House work to reach an agreement on a long-term federal spending bill that satisfies both Democratic and Republican desires to address immigration.   

Late Tuesday, the House of Representatives managed to pass a short-term spending deal by a 245-182 vote. If the Senate approves the bill, it will prevent a shutdown on Thursday and give officials until March 23rd to compromise on federal funding and immigration.

Border security — including a wall on the Mexican border — has proven to be the most difficult issue in the negotiations. Democrats have been fighting for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), an Obama-era program allowing around 800,000 young people brought to or born in the US by illegal immigrants a chance to go to school and work.

Last year, President Trump said he intended to end DACA by March 5th, 20188. However, a federal judge ruled against the decision, saying he could not end the program outright. Now, the White House is waiting for a deal that gives it a win on border security while also compromising on the status of Dreamers.  

Republican Senator John McCain, of Arizona and Democratic Senator Chris Coons, of Delaware, proposed an immigration bill Monday that did not include Trump’s wall but did include protection for “Dreamers,” the immigrants qualifying for DACA. The White House quickly rejected it.

“Any deal on DACA that does not include STRONG border security and the desperately needed WALL is a total waste of time,” Trump tweeted afterward. “March 5th is rapidly approaching, and the Dems seem not to care about DACA. Make a deal!”.

On Tuesday, Trump went so far as to say that he would love to see a shutdown if it meant forcing the Democrats’ hands in compromising on border security.

“If we don’t change the legislation, if we don’t get rid of these loops where killers continue to come IGNORE INTO our country and continue to kill … If we don’t change it, let’s have a shutdown”, President Trump told reporters on Tuesday.

Members of Congress who were present in the room for Trump’s comments — which he made during a meeting about the MS-13 gang — were reportedly unhappy with the President’s unproductive comments.

 "We don't need a government shutdown on this," Republican Representative Barbara Comstock, of Virginia, said. "I think both sides have learned that a government shutdown is bad."

In January, the government shut down for three days while members of Congress negotiated a stop-gap spending bill that ultimately kicked the issue of immigration — as well as defense spending — further down the road. Now, officials find themselves in the spot with a near-identical problem of not being able to reach bipartisan agreements.

“We are closer to an agreement than we have ever been,” Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer, of New York, said.  

During January’s negotiations, Schumer described his time with President Trump as similar to “negotiating with Jell-O.” The White House’s ever-changing stance and willingness to negotiate has drawn criticism from both sides of the aisle. With a stop-gap bill through the House, many officials in Congress said they are close to making a deal.

“I’m optimistic that very soon we’ll be able to reach an agreement,” Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, of Kentucky, added.

Latin American Post | Max Radwin 

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