Concern is growing in both parties that a clash over the fate of Dreamers will trigger a government shutdown this December. Many liberal Democrats have already vowed to withhold votes from the spending bill should it not address Dreamers with a solution to their current situation.
“We want a clean DREAM Act,” said Rep. Luis Gutiérrez (D-Ill.), referring to legislation that provides a pathway to citizenship for the young adults. “That is what it’s going to take for me and others to sign on.”
Ryan (R-Wis.), Pelosi, Schumer and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) are already discussing a short-term government-funding extension to buy themselves more time to negotiate, likely culminating in a Christmastime collision. For now, both Ryan and Pelosi are falling in line with the more combative wings of their parties.
Ryan told reporters in early November that there was no need to address DACA by year’s end because the program would not expire until March under President Trump’s rescindment orders. Pelosi responded by vowing at a news conference earlier this month, “We will not leave here without the DREAM Act passing, with a DACA fix,” further stating: “We’re not kicking the can down to March.”
Republicans fear that if the government shuts down, even in part by Democrats, they’ll get the blame from voters since they are the Congressional Majority. On her end, Pelosi faces her own pressure to deliver a DACA deal that satisfies her Caucuses. Some Congressional Hispanic Caucus members are still upset that Pelosi and Schumer didn’t work harder to find a solution for Dreamers in a short-term spending deal that was cut with Trump back in September.
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