President Trump, bipartisan leaders discuss deal on DACA
<p>President Donald Trump was flanked by a bipartisan group of congressional leaders who came to the table to negotiate some long-standing issues, including Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA. </p>
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Jan 9, 2018, 5:27 PM
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Updated 2,731 days ago
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President Donald Trump was flanked by a bipartisan group of congressional leaders who came to the table to negotiate some long-standing issues, including Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA.
DACA extends protections for immigrants who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children.
The president appealed to everyone in the room to "put country before party" during the Tuesday meeting.
Minority Whip Sen. Dick Durbin says that as of March 1, 1,000 so-called 'Dreamers' will lose DACA protection each day if a deal isn't made.
"Lives are hanging in the balance of our getting the job done. In a matter of days, we can come together and reach an agreement," says Sen. Durbin.
Nelson Melgar, a DACA recipient who came to the U.S. from Honduras 14 years ago, lives in Glen Cove. He is hopeful he will be able to keep working in the country he's grown to love.
"We want to make this country stronger," says Melgar. "We want to be part of this country for generations to come."
House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy admitted that the talks will take significant work.
"We'll all have to give a little and I'll be the first one willing to," says Rep. McCarthy.
President Trump spoke confidently to the press, saying that the "people sitting around this table want to get something done in good faith and I think we're on our way to doing it."
The president says if lawmakers can agree on a bill and bring it to his desk, he will sign it.
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