Senate rejects immigration bills; young immigrants in limbo
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate has left hundreds of thousands of “Dreamer” immigrants in limbo  rejecting rival plans that would have spared them from deportation and strengthened the nation’s border security. Senators dealt  President Donald Trump  an especially galling defeat as more than a quarter of fellow Republicans abandoned  him  on an issue that helped propel  him  to the White House.
Also defeated Thursday was a plan by a bipartisan group of senators who offered a compromise that would have shielded the young immigrants and financed  Trump’s  demands for money to build  his  border wall  though more gradually than  he  wants. Eight Republicans joined most Democrats in backing that plan  but it fell short after the White House threatened a veto and GOP leaders opposed it.
“It looks like demagogues on the left and the right win again on immigration ” said Sen. Lindsey Graham  R-S.C.  who helped craft the bipartisan package but also backed  Trump ’s plan. He added  “The only way forward is for  President Trump  to grab the reins and lead us to a solution.”
That scenario wasn’t in sight Thursday. The White House trashed the bipartisan proposal as “dangerous policy that will harm the nation ” denouncing a provision directing the government to prioritize enforcement efforts against immigrants who arrive illegally — beginning in July.  Trump  proved unwilling to fold on  his  demands for a tougher bill  reflecting the hard-line immigration stance that fueled  his  presidential run.
After the Senate rejected all four proposals on Thursday  Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell  R-Ky.  blamed Democrats for failing to accept what he said was a “generous” offer from  Trump .
“They turned away from a golden opportunity to solve the issue ” said McConnell. He expressed openness to considering a future compromise but said  “For that to happen  Democrats will need to take a second look” at  Trump ’s demands.
 Trump  had dangled a chance for citizenship for 1.8 million young immigrants  meeting a top Democratic demand. But that plan also included $25 billion to build  his  border wall with Mexico and enact other border security measures  tighter curbs on relatives whom legal immigrants could sponsor for citizenship and an end to a visa lottery that encourages immigration from diverse nations.
Democrats said  Trump  was the major hindrance to a broader deal.
“This vote is proof that  President Trump’s  plan will never become law ” said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York. “If he would stop torpedoing bipartisan efforts  a good bill would pass.”
The Senate derailed  Trump ’s proposal by voting 60-39 against it — 21 votes shy of the 60 it needed to survive.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate has left hundreds of thousands of “Dreamer” immigrants in limbo  rejecting rival plans that would have spared them from deportation and strengthened the nation’s border security. Senators dealt  President Donald Trump  an especially galling defeat as more than a quarter of fellow Republicans abandoned  him  on an issue that helped propel  him  to the White House.
Also defeated Thursday was a plan by a bipartisan group of senators who offered a compromise that would have shielded the young immigrants and financed  Trump’s  demands for money to build  his  border wall  though more gradually than  he  wants. Eight Republicans joined most Democrats in backing that plan  but it fell short after the White House threatened a veto and GOP leaders opposed it.
“It looks like demagogues on the left and the right win again on immigration ” said Sen. Lindsey Graham  R-S.C.  who helped craft the bipartisan package but also backed  [TGT] ’s plan. [TGT] added  “The only way forward is for  President Trump  to grab the reins and lead us to a solution.”
That scenario wasn’t in sight Thursday. The White House trashed the bipartisan proposal as “dangerous policy that will harm the nation ” denouncing a provision directing the government to prioritize enforcement efforts against immigrants who arrive illegally — beginning in July.  [TGT]  proved unwilling to fold on  his  demands for a tougher bill  reflecting the hard-line immigration stance that fueled  his  presidential run.
After the Senate rejected all four proposals on Thursday  Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell  R-Ky.  blamed Democrats for failing to accept what he said was a “generous” offer from  [TGT] .
“They turned away from a golden opportunity to solve the issue ” said McConnell. He expressed openness to considering a future compromise but said  “For that to happen  Democrats will need to take a second look” at  [TGT] ’s demands.
 Trump  had dangled a chance for citizenship for 1.8 million young immigrants  meeting a top Democratic demand. But that plan also included $25 billion to build  his  border wall with Mexico and enact other border security measures  tighter curbs on relatives whom legal immigrants could sponsor for citizenship and an end to a visa lottery that encourages immigration from diverse nations.
Democrats said  Trump  was the major hindrance to a broader deal.
“This vote is proof that  President Trump’s  plan will never become law ” said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York. “If he would stop torpedoing bipartisan efforts  a good bill would pass.”
The Senate derailed  Trump ’s proposal by voting 60-39 against it — 21 votes shy of the 60 it needed to survive.