For the better part of the night to early morning, pro-DACA demonstrators took to the streets to protest Schumer’s decision to withdraw his offer to Trump of $25 billion for the new border wall funding. He rescinded the offer to equip democrats with an upper hand on the negotiating table for DACA victims. He reiterated that negotiations were to begin on a clean slate and thus the funding offer was off the table. Schumer is also facing a backlash from liberals allegedly for being too accommodative towards the President.
The Protests
The Senate minority leader was on the receiving end when protestors camped outside his Brooklyn home. An advert on Facebook invited demonstrators to congregate outside Schumer’s apartment building along New York City’s Prospect Park. They met at Grand Army Plaza near his apartment and marched towards his home.
Protestors chanted “If Chuck doesn’t let us dream, we won’t let him sleep” and lasted for the better half of the night and wee hours of the morning.
Origin of the Offer
Schumer made the offer to Trump in a private meeting on Friday to coerce the Republicans to let the DACA program continue. On Sunday, after the government shutdown was in progress, Schumer indicated that the deal might be off the table. Late Tuesday night he officially announces that the deal is off the table since there is no headway on the DACA matter.
The decision invited uproar from the Republicans who accused Schumer and Democrats of not taking the ongoing talks seriously. The move also exposes the divisions among Democrat lawmakers who support permanent legal protections for DACA beneficiaries. Senator John Cornyn set to play a central role in the next round of immigration talks termed the move a step backward.
Why DACA Beneficiaries and Supporters Protest
Trump responded to Schumer’s decision by declaring that if there is no wall funding, then there is no DACA program. Later on, Trump tweeted that Chuck Schumer understands after his humiliating defeat, if there isn’t a wall, there is no DACA. Security and safety are prioritized before the DACA program.
