WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, the lead Democratic negotiator on legislation to protect at least 700,000 young, undocumented immigrants from deportation, on Friday blasted "hardline anti-immigrant" demands from the White House including the construction of a southwestern border wall.
Durbin said in a statement that it was "outrageous that the White House would undercut months of bipartisan efforts by again trying to put its entire wish-list of hardline anti-immigrant bills - plus an additional $18 billion in wall funding - on the backs of these young people."
Durbin said the demands could push the U.S. government into a shutdown as congressional negotiators simultaneously work on funding the government beyond Jan. 19, when existing federal money runs out.