Trump's DREAMer path-to-citizenship comment reportedly set off a 'fire drill' among his surprised staff
President Trump said for the first time on Wednesday that he supports a path to U.S. citizenship for young immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children, in a potential breakthrough on stalled immigration talks in Congress. Trump's staff was caught off-guard by the comments, which Trump made during an impromptu appearance at a background briefing on hardline immigration demands the White House was planning to roll out next Monday, The New York Times reports.
Trump said DREAMers should be rewarded for their hard work with a chance to "morph into" citizens in 10 to 12 years, the central feature of a bipartisan Senate deal he rejected last week. In return, he demanded $5 billion for border security, $25 billion for a U.S.-Mexico border wall (which he said he would build "way under budget"), and an end to immigration programs he doesn't like.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
The Week Unwrapped: Have televised confessions quelled protests in Iran?Podcast Plus, why has Elon Musk turned from Mars to the Moon? And will the BBC prove to be a puzzles champ?
-
The week’s best photosIn Pictures An Andean god, a rogue squirrel, and more
-
9 products to jazz up your letters and cardsThe Week Recommends Get the write stuff
-
House votes to end Trump’s Canada tariffsSpeed Read Six Republicans joined with Democrats to repeal the president’s tariffs
-
Bondi, Democrats clash over Epstein in hearingSpeed Read Attorney General Pam Bondi ignored survivors of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and demanded that Democrats apologize to Trump
-
El Paso airspace closure tied to FAA-Pentagon standoffSpeed Read The closure in the Texas border city stemmed from disagreements between the Federal Aviation Administration and Pentagon officials over drone-related tests
-
Judge blocks Trump suit for Michigan voter rollsSpeed Read A Trump-appointed federal judge rejected the administration’s demand for voters’ personal data
-
US to send 200 troops to Nigeria to train armySpeed Read Trump has accused the West African government of failing to protect Christians from terrorist attacks
-
Grand jury rejects charging 6 Democrats for ‘orders’ videoSpeed Read The jury refused to indict Democratic lawmakers for a video in which they urged military members to resist illegal orders
-
Judge rejects California’s ICE mask ban, OKs ID lawSpeed Read Federal law enforcement agents can wear masks but must display clear identification
-
Lawmakers say Epstein files implicate 6 more menSpeed Read The Trump department apparently blacked out the names of several people who should have been identified
