Leading Democrats admit that they haven’t got the leverage to push Republicans on a bill to replace the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program following the passage of the bipartisan budget bill, the Washington Examiner reports.
Rep. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill., said Friday that Democrats lack any leverage on immigration, noting that the three issues laid out that could have been used to influence the GOP - budget caps, the debt ceiling and disaster aid - were all included in the deal passed by Congress early Friday morning.
Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., added that, "this was the last leverage point."
"March 5 is coming up really fast,” he said. “I’m not hearing enough in the way of the president saying we’re going to delay this deadline. He’s leaving that very open, which to me means he want to leave them exposed and in jeopardy."
When asked if Democrats could use next month’s vote on the omnibus spending bill, which is required for the budget agreement, to pressure Republicans, Gutierrez said, “Really? Is it realistic? Can you continue to threaten with something?”
He added that members who voted “yes” on the increased spending in the deal passed Friday would then have to vote against actually providing the money for many of those same provisions next month.
Most Democrats who voted for the deal represent districts that are suffering from the opioid epidemic, or recovering from natural disasters, and have little incentive to alter their vote.
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