Moments after the Senate Democrats successfully blocked the passage of a short-term continuing resolution to keep the government funded through the middle of next month, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders released a scathing statement, squarely blaming Democrats for their obstructionism.
“Senate Democrats own the Schumer Shutdown,” Sanders began in a fiery missive posted on social media.
“Tonight, they put policies over national security, military families, vulnerable children, and our country’s ability to serve all Americans,” the statement continued. “We will not negotiate the status of unlawful immigrants while Democrats hold our lawful citizens hostage over their reckless demands. This is the behavior of obstructionist losers, not legislators. When Democrats start paying out armed forces and first responders we will reopen negotiation on immigration reform. During this politically manufactured Schumer Shutdown, the President and his Administration will fight for and protect the American people.”
At issue is the Democrats demand for a “DACA fix,” which is problematic for two reasons.
First, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program is not a legal program at all. It is a procedure that was described by then-DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano in a 2012 memo. The procedure was ‘blessed’ by the Obama administration and implemented under the theory of prosecutorial discretion.
Second, there is, in fact, no legislation to vote on; it does not currently exist – which is why Democrats’ demands are characterized as nonsense and obstructionist. President Trump announced previously that he would be ending the DACA procedure, and asked Congress to write and pass legislation to address the legal status of the so-called ‘DACA kids,’ setting the deadline for March 5, over a month from now.
Official White House statement on #SchumerShutdown pic.twitter.com/2PiPz2rJ3J
— Kayleigh McEnany 45 Archived (@PressSec45) January 20, 2018
