“The Dems just want illegal immigrants to pour into our nation unchecked.”
President Donald Trump’s one-year anniversary of taking office was celebrated with a government shutdown over a deal on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, known as DACA, and the border wall.
Trump has repeatedly said that he wants to make a deal on DACA, but funding for the border wall would have to be included.
While Republicans and Democrats were working to reach a deal to reopen the government before Monday, Trump took to Twitter and blasted the Democrats.
He said in a Tweet that “Republicans are fighting for our Military and Safety at the Border” while “Dems just want illegal immigrants to pour into our nation unchecked.” Then he called on the “nuclear option” if the “stalemate continues.”
Great to see how hard Republicans are fighting for our Military and Safety at the Border. The Dems just want illegal immigrants to pour into our nation unchecked. If stalemate continues, Republicans should go to 51% (Nuclear Option) and vote on real, long term budget, no C. R.’s!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 21,2018
Senate rules say that 60 votes are needed to break a filibuster, and Trump’s call for the “nuclear option” would change that rule to only require a majority vote, which the Republicans would be expected to have since they have 51 seats in the Senate.
However, a spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) stated that he would be opposed to the nuclear option. “The Republican Conference opposes changing the rules on legislation,” he said.
Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) was also opposed and said, “I can tell you that would be the end of the Senate as it was originally devised and created going back to our founding fathers. We have to acknowledge our respect for the minority, and that is what the Senate tries to do in its composition and in its procedure.”
