WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump said on Thursday he was “fairly close” to finalising a deal with Democrats allowing young immigrants to remain in the United States, antagonising anti-immigration Republicans who worry he is violating his own campaign pledges.

“Does anybody really want to throw out good, educated and accomplished young people who have jobs, some serving in the military? Really!” Trump tweeted, hours after he hosted a dinner meeting with top congressional Democrats in which they discussed securing the border in exchange for protections for immigrants known as “Dreamers”. “They have been in our country for many years through no fault of their own — brought in by parents at young age,” he added.

Trump was repeating a key Democratic argument for allowing young people who arrived illegally in the United States as children to stay. Trump’s predecessor Barack Obama protected the so-called Dreamers through his Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) order.

Trump rescinded that executive order, prompting jubilation among many in his camp, but then urged Congress to craft a legal solution within the next six months.

I think we are fairly close but we have to get massive border security,” he told reporters on Thursday. “We are working on a plan for DACA. People want to see that happen.”

Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House of Representatives top Democrat Nancy Pelosi sounded optimistic as they emerged from their “very productive” dinner meeting with Trump. “There was no final deal, but... we agreed that the president would support enshrining DACA protections into law, and encourage the House and Senate to act,” they said in a joint statement. “What remains to be negotiated are the details of border security, with a mutual goal of finalising all details as soon as possible,” they added.

The package could include using new technology, drones, air support and sensors, the Democrats said.

They also said no funding for Trump’s long-promised wall on the US-Mexico border would be in the DACA deal, although the president stressed that “the wall is going to be built and it will be funded later.” Democrats continue to oppose wall funding.

Published in Dawn, September 15th, 2017