DHS funding talks in limbo after Trump insists GOP pass SAVE America Act

Washington — Senate talks aimed astatine ending the 38-day shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security deed a caller roadblock connected Monday aft President Trump called connected Republicans to clasp retired for transition of an elections measure that Democrats powerfully oppose.

"I'm suggesting powerfully to the Republican Party, don't marque immoderate woody connected anything," Mr. Trump said. "The astir important happening we tin person is called the SAVE America Act."

The SAVE America Act, which would necessitate impervious of citizenship to registry to ballot and photograph ID to formed a ballot, has already been a headache for Senate Republicans. The enclosure has been debating the measurement for astir a week successful an effort to placate conservatives who person demanded that the Senate maneuver astir a 60-vote threshold to walk the bill. But Senate Majority Leader John Thune has been wide that the votes aren't there. 

Speaking astatine an lawsuit successful Memphis, Tennessee, connected Monday, Mr. Trump said the SAVE America Act's elector ID and impervious of citizenship provisions should beryllium "welded in" to DHS funding. 

"I'm requesting that the Republican senators bash that immediately," Mr. Trump said. "You don't person to instrumentality a accelerated vote, don't interest astir Easter, going home. In fact, marque this 1 for Jesus."

The Senate is scheduled to permission for a two-week recess astatine the extremity of the week. But Thune has suggested the enclosure could enactment successful municipality until the shutdown is resolved. 

Tepid optimism began to look among senators precocious past week that a woody could beryllium possible, with acknowledgement that the 2 sides inactive had important crushed to cover. A bipartisan radical of senators met Thursday and Friday with borderline czar Tom Homan. The meetings marked a cardinal measurement guardant arsenic the 2 sides expressed much willingness to engage. But the play showed small progress. 

As the enclosure reconvened Monday, Thune told CBS News that the president's petition to nexus the DHS backing to the predetermination authorities was a "wrinkle" successful the talks. He outlined to reporters that contempt wide GOP enactment for the SAVE America Act, the thought that the Senate would person to warrant the bill's transition to reopen the authorities isn't "realistic." He said discussions proceed implicit DHS funding. 

The ramp-up successful talks came arsenic the DHS shutdown began wreaking havoc astatine immoderate airports. As TSA workers proceed to spell without pay, staffing issues person worsened, creating agelong information lines and prompting the medication to send ICE agents to much than a twelve locations to assistance easiness the burden. While Democrats person opposed backing migration enforcement, they person repeatedly offered to o.k. backing for TSA and the different agencies that DHS oversees.

Some Republicans person appeared to travel astir to the thought of backing non-ICE components of DHS successful caller days, including Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana. Kennedy told CBS News connected Sunday that "we ought to judge the Democrats' connection to unfastened everything up but ICE," earlier turning to the fund reconciliation process to money the migration enforcement bureau without assistance from Democrats. He said "a batch of radical are talking astir it, but the lone idiosyncratic that counts is our bulk leader."

Thune expressed openness to the thought Sunday arsenic well, telling reporters that "there are tons of ideas swirling close now." He added connected Monday that it would beryllium an enactment and "we aren't taking immoderate options disconnected the table."

The bulk person and the president spoke astir the imaginable offramp connected Sunday. But Mr. Trump said successful a station connected Truth Social connected Sunday evening that Republicans shouldn't marque a woody with Democrats unless they enactment with the GOP to walk the elections legislation. 

Democrats person warned that the White House indispensable get superior connected negotiations. They refused to beryllium down with Senate Republicans for weeks, saying the White House could dash immoderate statement that whitethorn beryllium reached. 

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer criticized the president for "trying to sabotage negotiations" connected Monday. He said "Democrats are going to support moving successful bully faith."

"Both sides talked each play long. We had immoderate constructive conversations, but there's considerably much enactment to beryllium done, and Democrats are acceptable to support negotiating," Schumer said. 

The New York Democrat said his caucus' presumption "has not changed," and that they privation to wage TSA workers and conscionable with the White House to proceed talks. He said they were going to conscionable Monday greeting with Homan, but "apparently the White House pulled that gathering due to the fact that of Donald Trump's temper tantrum."

"We anticipation that Donald Trump volition halt derailing these talks and fto negotiations continue," Schumer said.

Nikole Killion contributed to this report.