Dreamers uncertain about the future as Congress gears up for immigration battle
WASHINGTON -- The government is back open, but not everyone is cheering. Liberal groups are accusing Democrats of caving, calling the deal to reopen the government "a slap in the face" and saying "immigrants in America deserve a Democratic Party with a backbone."
"Look, we're very pleased with how things came out," said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.
He extracted a promise from the Senate's Republican leader, Mitch McConnell, to hold a vote on "Dreamers" next month. But many in his base want that vote now.
"We're a lot better off today when it comes to the cause of Dreamers than we were four or five days ago," Schumer said. "When there is a Republican president, a Republican Senate, a Republican House that are quite recalcitrant against Dreamers, you're not going to get it all at once."
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For DACA recipients, the uncertainty is unsettling.
"We waited 17 years already," said Jose Lopez, a DACA recipient. "We shouldn't be waiting any longer."
About 700,000 immigrants rely on the expiring program for legal status and work permits.
"It's really hard to go to school and try to plan for a future and also simultaneously be preparing for disaster," said Sarai Bautista, another Dreamer.
A bipartisan group of four leaders now has 16 days to craft a compromise on immigration, an issue that has divided them for decades. We asked McConnell what he would say to Dreamers worried about the bill. He said he intends "to keep my word."
Democrats made it known Tuesday that Schumer rescinded last week's offer to the president to throw $20 billion in border wall funding into the mix. They say that negotiation is now defunct and they're starting fresh with their GOP colleagues.