WASHINGTON D.C. -- Today is day 30 of the government shut down.
The President changed his bargaining position.
President Trump says, "Straightforward, fair, reasonable and common sense with lots of compromise?"
From the Diplomatic Room at the White House, he offered Democrats some things that they want. In exchange for the 5.7 billion dollars he wants to build his border wall.
President Trump says, "This is not a 2,000 mile concrete structure from sea to sea. These are steel barriers in high priority location. A steel barrier will help us stop illegal immigration while safely directing commerce to our lawful ports of entry."
In exchange, President Trump agreed to extend work authorizations and other protections for 3 more years. For so-called "dreamers," undocumented immigrants brought to the US as children.
President Trump says, "This extension will give them access to work permits, social security numbers, and protection from deportation most importantly."
The President also proposed extending Temporary Protected Status for some 300 thousand others. But offered no pathway to citizenship beyond that.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi called it a non-starter, having said in the past that the dreamers and the border wall should not be linked.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi says, "They're two different subjects."
The Democrats are reportedly ready to sweeten their offer including a billion dollars for border-related measures, only half of it to be used for infrastructure. And no money for Trump's wall which Pelosi has called "immoral."
President Trump says, "Walls are not immoral. In fact, they are the opposite of immoral. Because they will save many lives."