As rumors swirl about a deal being reached in Congress to meet President Trump’s February 15 deadline and avoid another government shutdown AND fund or partially fund the border wall, President Trump just made clear what his non-negotiables are.
Here is an outline of what reporters are saying the deal might look like:
And more details, from ABC6:
Congressional negotiators reached agreement Monday night to prevent a government shutdown and finance construction of new barriers along the U.S.-Mexico border, overcoming a late-stage hang-up over immigration enforcement issues that had threatened to scuttle the talks.
Republicans were desperate to avoid another bruising shutdown. They tentatively agreed to far less money for President Donald Trump's border wall than the White House's $5.7 billion wish list, settling for a figure of nearly $1.4 billion, according to congressional aides. The funding measure is through the fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30.
The agreement means 55 miles of new fencing - constructed through existing designs such as metal slats instead of a concrete wall - but far less than the 215 miles the White House demanded in December. The fencing would be built in the Rio Grande Valley in Texas.
"With the government being shut down, the specter of another shutdown this close, what brought us back together I thought tonight was we didn't want that to happen" again, said Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Shelby, R-Ala.
Details won't be officially released until Tuesday, but the pact came in time to alleviate any threat of a second partial government shutdown this weekend. Aides revealed the details under condition of anonymity because the agreement is tentative.
"Our staffs are just working out the details," said House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Nita Lowey, D-N.Y.
The pact also includes increases for new technologies such as advanced screening at border entry point, humanitarian aid sought by Democrats, and additional customs officers.
This weekend, Shelby pulled the plug on the talks over Democratic demands to limit immigrant detentions by federal authorities, frustrating some of his fellow negotiators, but Democrats yielded ground on that issue in a fresh round of talks on Monday.
Asked if Trump would back the deal, Shelby said: "We believe from our dealings with them and the latitude they've given us, they will support it. We certainly hope so."
Trump traveled to El Paso, Texas, for a campaign-style rally Monday night focused on immigration and border issues. He has been adamant that Congress approve money for a wall along the Mexican border, though he no longer repeats his 2016 mantra that Mexico will pay for it, and he took to the stage as lawmakers back in Washington were announcing their breakthrough.
"They said that progress is being made with this committee," Trump told his audience, referring to the congressional bargainers. "Just so you know, we're building the wall anyway."
But take heart friends!
Our President is a master negotiator and he doesn't back down.
He won't accept a bad deal.
One non-negotiable directly impacts the safety of every American and President Trump said that's off the table:
From the Daily Caller:
President Donald Trump made clear his strict conditions for any congressional deal that provides funding for his proposed wall along the U.S. southern border, at a campaign rally in El Paso, Texas.
“I will never sign a bill that forces the mass release of violent criminals into our country. I will never oppose or in any way mistreat our great heroes from ICE, border patrol and law enforcement,” Trump declared in his first campaign rally of the 2020 presidential election cycle, adding “we will always stand with those brave men and women. We will always be with them. We will take care of them just like they take care of us.”
Trump’s rally comes at nearly the exact same time as a tentative deal reached by congressional negotiators announced an agreement to avoid another government shutdown. The deal includes $1.375 billion in funding for a barrier along the U.S. southern border and funding for approximately 40,000 beds for ICE detention beds.
Democrats notably dropped their demand in the agreement to limit the number of beds ICE is able to use for criminal illegal alien enforcement. Deputy ICE Director Matthew Albence stressed that the effort will be “extremely damaging for the public safety of this country” and that the policy in effect means “ICE is being asked to ignore the very laws that Congress has already passed.”
Watch It Here:
He also made two other things VERY clear in today's press briefing.
One, he said he would not be accepting Congress' deal as is. He'll be adding things to it, taking stuff out, and making changes until it's something he deems acceptable.
Two, the wall is going to be built with or without the Democrats, with or without Congress, and with or without this particular deal.
He made clear that he has multiple options available to him and many things are already in play.
He said he will be using all available options, not just relying on this deal.
And as he said last night at the El Paso rally, it's no longer "BUILD the wall". It's now "FINISH the wall" because construction has already begun and even been completed in many key places.
I've got the clip keyed up for you where he addresses all of these points, take a look:
Join the conversation!
Please share your thoughts about this article below. We value your opinions, and would love to see you add to the discussion!