Iowa Republicans are furious and confused over Trump's reported DACA deal
Shortly after House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) dined with President Trump on Wednesday night, the Democratic leaders released a statement saying the group had "agreed to enshrine the protections of DACA into law quickly." Pelosi and Schumer said the deal would exchange amnesty for border security measures "excluding the wall."
Trump had announced earlier this month he was ending the DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) program, which grants work authorization to immigrants who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children, after first allowing a six-month reprieve so Congress could attempt to solve the issue with legislation. Several of his biggest supporters were publicly displeased with the idea that Trump had reportedly agreed to protect these illegal immigrants after all — especially if it came at the expense of the ever-touted border wall.
Among them were prominent Iowa Republicans Rep. Steve King and Sen. Chuck Grassley. King in particular has been an ardent defender of Trump's, but on Wednesday lamented that "no promise" the president makes "is credible":
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.
Grassley, on the other hand, accused the president of having "undercut" the Senate Judiciary Committee, which Grassley chairs:
White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Wednesday that Trump had "certainly not agreed" to ditch the border wall, and Trump himself tweeted Thursday that the wall — now taking the form of "new renovation of old and existing fences" — would "continue to be built."
Meanwhile, other Republicans were not so moved by the Trump-supporting lawmakers' hurt feelings. Kimberly Alters
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kimberly Alters is the news editor at TheWeek.com. She is a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.
-
High Court action over Cape Verde tourist deathsThe Explainer Holidaymakers sue TUI after gastric illness outbreaks linked to six British deaths
-
The battle over the Irish language in Northern IrelandUnder the Radar Popularity is soaring across Northern Ireland, but dual-language sign policies agitate division as unionists accuse nationalists of cultural erosion
-
Villa Treville Positano: a glamorous sanctuary on the Amalfi CoastThe Week Recommends Franco Zeffirelli’s former private estate is now one of Italy’s most exclusive hotels
-
Trump sues IRS for $10B over tax record leaksSpeed Read The president is claiming ‘reputational and financial harm’ from leaks of his tax information between 2018 and 2020
-
Trump, Senate Democrats reach DHS funding dealSpeed Read The deal will fund most of the government through September and the Department of Homeland Security for two weeks
-
Fed holds rates steady, bucking Trump pressureSpeed Read The Federal Reserve voted to keep its benchmark interest rate unchanged
-
Judge slams ICE violations amid growing backlashSpeed Read ‘ICE is not a law unto itself,’ said a federal judge after the agency violated at least 96 court orders
-
Rep. Ilhan Omar attacked with unknown liquidSpeed Read This ‘small agitator isn’t going to intimidate me from doing my work’
-
Democrats pledge Noem impeachment if not firedSpeed Read Trump is publicly defending the Homeland Security secretary
-
The billionaires’ wealth tax: a catastrophe for California?Talking Point Peter Thiel and Larry Page preparing to change state residency
-
Hegseth moves to demote Sen. Kelly over videospeed read Retired Navy fighter pilot Mark Kelly appeared in a video reminding military service members that they can ‘refuse illegal orders’
