Donald Trump rejects bipartisan immigration proposal after government shutdown
The US government has until February 8 to agree on an immigration bill - otherwise there will likely be another shutdown
US President Donald Trump rejected an immigration bill proposed by Republican senators Lindsey Graham and Jeff Flake, and Democratic Senator Dick Durbin, on Tuesday, in the wake of the government shutdown.
White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the legislation was “unacceptable” to Trump, who had rejected another proposal made by the group days before the shutdown.
Sanders added that the legislation was “declared dead on arrival” and did not meet White House requirements on border security.
The failure to reach an immigration deal earlier this month was the driving force behind the recent, brief federal government shutdown.
Democrats, wanting a deal for the “Dreamers” – illegal immigrants brought to the US as children who will be at risk of being deported in March – held back on federal funding until Republicans agreed to a discussion on the issue.