Republican Sen. John McCain and Democratic Sen Chris Coons planned to propose legislation Monday that would shield from deportation immigrants who entered the US illegally as children, known as "Dreamers" helped by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA.
The bill also would strengthen border security, but it wouldn't provide the USD 25 billion Trump wants for a US- Mexico border wall.
But before the Senate had a chance to consider the narrow plan, Trump seemed to reject it on Twitter.
McCain, R-Ariz., and Coons, D-Del., said in a statement that their bill was designed to focus on two "pressing" border issues, the "Dreamers" and border security, so lawmakers could focus on completing a long-overdue budget deal.
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The McCain-Coons plan is a more modest approach than Trump has sought for protecting the estimated 1.8 million young immigrants.
The measure lacks Trump's demands for limiting the relatives that "Dreamers" can sponsor for citizenship, and ending a visa lottery aimed at admitting more immigrants from diverse places including Africa.
Democrats and some Republicans want to give "Dreamers" a pathway to citizenship, but oppose cuts Trump would make in the number of legal immigrants allowed to enter the US Conservatives oppose letting "Dreamers" become citizens.
That stalemate has led many to believe the likeliest outcome is a narrowly focused bill or even no legislation at all.