Trump urges Senate to pass new Republican immigration bill

WASHINGTON – 15 February 2018: U.S. President Trump on Wednesday threw his support behind Sen. Chuck Grassley’s (R-Iowa) immigration bill and urged the Senate to pass it, The Hill reported.

“I am asking all senators, in both parties, to support the Grassley bill and to oppose any legislation that fails to fulfill these four pillars — that includes opposing any short-term ‘Band-Aid’ approach,” Trump said in a statement.

The president was referring to the four pillars contained in the White House’s immigration framework: a “lasting solution” for young immigrants living illegally in the US, building a border wall, scrapping the diversity visa lottery and reforming family-based immigration.

Trump's statement also appeared to rule out any pared-down proposal that deals with the young immigrants, often called "Dreamers," and border security, indicating he is unwilling to budge from his original demands.

Grassley, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, on Monday introduced legislation that largely mirrors the White House plan.

It would provide a pathway to citizenship for 1.8 million immigrants brought to the country illegally as children in exchange for $25 billion to fund a southern border wall and other security measures, as well as new limits on family visas, which conservatives refer to as "chain migration."

Senators are debating a number of immigration proposals this week to address young immigrants who benefit from the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which Trump rescinded in September with a six-month delay. That delay ends on March 5.

But it’s unclear any legislation can attract 60 votes.