President Trump on Monday will release his own framework for an immigration deal, the White House said Wednesday, saying he’s determined to lead Congress to a solution.
White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said there’s no agreement on the table right now that brings all sides into the conversation, and Mr. Trump’s plan will correct that.
“After decades of inaction by Congress it’s time we work together to solve this issue once and for all,” she said.
The president’s plan will stick to the “four pillars” of an agreement that the president laid out earlier this month: a legalization for illegal immigrant “Dreamers,” increased border security including the wall, limits to family-based chain migration, and cancelation of the Visa Diversity Lottery.
Democrats and even some Republicans have criticized the president for his approach to the immigration deal-making, saying they were looking for more concrete guidance from him about the contours of a bill he would sign.
Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer said talking policy with Mr. Trump was like negotiating with Jell-O. And he said the GOP on Capitol Hill is unable to lead around the president.
“Our Republican leaders don’t want to go ahead on their own. They’re afraid of President Trump. They want to know what he’ll do, but he doesn’t tell them to do anything and he usually tells them, you do it yourselves. We get paralysis,” Mr. Schumer said.
The framework also will include details about Mr. Trump’s plan for a border wall, the funding of which has become a major sticking point in the debate over Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals or DACA.
“You will see some of the details laid out Monday,” said Mrs. Sanders.
Mrs. Sanders would not say if the framework included a path to citizenship for Dreamers that is a top demand by Democrats.
“If I told you now it would take away the fun for Monday,” she said.
• S.A. Miller can be reached at smiller@washingtontimes.com.
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