White House Demands for Immigration Bill Rejected by Democrats

By Lauren Litvan

Democrats rejected a Trump administration proposal for $18 billion over 10 years for a wall at the U.S.-Mexico border, including 722 miles of new and replacement barriers, the latest development in a political battle that could lead to a government shutdown.

Senators from both parties had sought input from the administration on its border-security goals to help advance weeks-long talks that seek to produce a measure that could move through the chamber this month. The White House proposal includes $8.5 billion for interior enforcement and “mission readiness” and $5.7 billion for technology.

Democrats in both chambers rejected the plan on Friday, which came the same day the White House also sent lawmakers a broader set of ideas that were drafted by White House aide Stephen Miller, a hardliner on immigration policy. That proposal was the same as a plan issued in October and included a border wall, sanctions on “sanctuary cities” that don’t cooperate with federal immigration law enforcement, closing “loopholes” in asylum law and 10,000 new immigration enforcement agents.

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