A legislation to keep the US federal government funded for a few weeks was passed by the House of Representatives on Thursday, but faced an uncertain fate in the Senate, where Democrats could block it for not guaranteeing Dreamers protection from deportation.
The Senate was scheduled to vote on Friday, and if President Donald Trump is unable to sign the funding bill by 12.01 am on Saturday, it would result in the partial shutdown of the government. Negotiations, however, could resume next week if a resolution was still elusive.
Trump put off an upcoming trip to Mar-a-Lago to see through the negotiations and pressed Democrats to see the bill through, putting the onus for its passage on them.
“Government Funding Bill past last night in the House of Representatives. Now Democrats are needed if it is to pass in the Senate - but they want illegal immigration and weak borders. Shutdown coming? We need more Republican victories in 2018!” he tweeted.
The bill was passed in the House along party lines, and Republicans control the Senate. However, some Republican senators are expected to vote against it, making its passage incumbent upon Democrats.
Democrats believe they have Republicans on the defensive and are hoping to press for as many concessions as they can, especially about the fate of nearly 700,000 undocumented immigrants brought to America as children, around 8,000 of whom are from India. Their protection from deportation — an Obama-era regulation — expires in March, as ordered by Trump.
{{/usCountry}}Democrats believe they have Republicans on the defensive and are hoping to press for as many concessions as they can, especially about the fate of nearly 700,000 undocumented immigrants brought to America as children, around 8,000 of whom are from India. Their protection from deportation — an Obama-era regulation — expires in March, as ordered by Trump.
{{/usCountry}}