Democrats' opening offer in border security negotiations doesn't include money for wa

WASHINGTON – Congressional Democrats' opening offer in the conference committee negotiations over border security includes money for new customs agents, technology, and humanitarian relief but not a penny for a border wall.

It's an offer President Donald Trump is certain to refuse.

In a series of tweets Thursday, the president explained that congressional Republicans are "wasting their time" talking with Democrats if they "are not going to give money to build the DESPERATELY needed WALL!" which would make it "soooo much easier" to "stop the attempted Invasion of Illegals."

For her part, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said, "There’s not going to be any wall money in the legislation."

By the numbers
The Democratic proposal did include:

about $22 billion in total funding for Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement
$675 million for scanners at points of entry
$502 million for "humanitarian concerns at the border" such as food and medical care
$400 million in border security technology, 1,000 new customs agents
$156.7 million for new boats, planes and sensors.
Poll: Americans trust congressional Democrats more than Trump on border security

More: President Trump says Republicans 'wasting their time' on border security talks


Donald J. Trump
✔
@realDonaldTrump
More troops being sent to the Southern Border to stop the attempted Invasion of Illegals, through large Caravans, into our Country. We have stopped the previous Caravans, and we will stop these also. With a Wall it would be soooo much easier and less expensive. Being Built!

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8:52 AM - Jan 31, 2019
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The proposal also denied the president's request for additional Border Patrol agents because "a staffing model to justify any increase" is "long overdue."

Border security and immigration concerns have been at the core of Trump's political identity since he announced his candidacy in 2015. And from that moment he argued that a "big, beautiful wall" – which Mexico was supposed to pay for – was the key to solving the problem.

Pelosi did indicate she was open to vehicle barriers known as "Normandy fencing."

"If the president wants to call that a wall, he can call that a wall," she said. "Is there a place for enhanced fencing?"

Trump's definition of what constitutes a border wall has shifted over time. In the past, he indicated he wanted a 1,000-mile long concrete wall. More recently, he has said he could live with a "steel slat barrier" that resembles the bollard fencing already in place along parts of the border.

"As long as it can stop criminals, gangs, human trafficking and drugs, I’m open to anything," he said Sunday.

But Trump changed his tone on Thursday, tweeting, "Lets just call them WALLS from now on and stop playing political games! A WALL is a WALL!" Yet, he never said exactly what he believes a wall is.

'A WALL is a WALL!': Trump declares. But his definition has shifted a lot over time


Donald J. Trump
✔
@realDonaldTrump
Lets just call them WALLS from now on and stop playing political games! A WALL is a WALL!

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The lawmakers on the conference committee working on a compromise are optimistic they can reach a deal because they have funded border fencing previously. For fiscal 2018, for example, Congress approved $1.6 billion for border security, a portion of which was for fence construction.

"Because of the work we did years ago we’ve already built almost 700 miles of fencing on our nation’s border," said Rep. David Price, D-N.C. "Whatever the president may say it is far from an open border. Meanwhile, the number of undocumented immigrants crossing our border or attempting to cross remain not at alarming highs but at historic lows."

Lawmakers have until Feb. 15 to reach a deal. If they fail to come up with legislation that Trump is willing to sign, the president has said he is "certainly" willing to allow another partial government shutdown. He has also threatened to circumvent Congress all together and obtain the funds for his wall by declaring a national emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border – a move that would face immediate legal challenges.

Last month, Trump announced at the last minute that he would not sign a funding bill that had been passed by the Senate because it did not include money for the border wall. The resulting stalemate led to a 35-day partial government shutdown, the longest in U.S. history, and affected about 800,000 federal employees.


https://www.yahoo.com/news/democrats...200339023.html

"a portion of which was for fence construction"

- this is false, no new wall has gone up, only repairs / replacements to existing wall

This is total clean border security. $22 billion in funding for CBP and fucking ICE. Motherfuckers.

I know there is no fucking wall, but why in the FUCK are they pushing for all that money in border patrol agents and ICE? Fucking blue Republicans.

To make Trump look stupid when he rejects it.

I am willing to bet Dems would be ok with this if Trump said yes. He should say yes then veto it at the end, flip on them by saying they are the ones really trying to deport people. $22 billion for CBP and ICE agents bro. $22 fucking billion.

22 BILLION more for ICE
1000 new agents....for whom exactly?
Who is responsible for this abysmal proposal of taxpayer waste???

Psssst, they wont be able to hire them. They can't recruit fast enough to outpace their current worker turnover.

Call me crazy but I think it's possible she brokered a deal with Republicans to pass a compromise with enough support to override a veto. Wishful thinking perhaps, but it would explain why she promised the Dream Act.

Republicans aren't crazy about the wall, but can't admit that to their idiot voters.

He’s going to reject it because it doesn’t fund the wall. When he then goes down the emergency route, he’ll look like a complete dumbass. A recent poll I saw said that the majority of Americans trust Pelosi over Trump when it comes to the border. This helps to further shift public opinion in the direction of Democrats.