Trump hits Dems on DACA: ‘Where are you?’

President Trump blasted Democrats on Tuesday over what he suggested was their failure to strike a deal to protect certain young immigrants from deportation, saying that an agreement could still be reached. 

“Total inaction on DACA by Dems. Where are you? A deal can be made!” Trump tweeted, using an acronym for the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

Total inaction on DACA by Dems. Where are you? A deal can be made!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 6, 2018

{mosads}

In another tweet on Tuesday, Trump touted a federal judge’s ruling striking down a legal challenge to his decision to end DACA, and accused Democrats of “running for the hills” when it came to striking a deal on the program.

“Federal Judge in Maryland has just ruled that ‘President Trump has the right to end DACA.’ President Obama had 8 years to fix this problem, and didn’t. I am waiting for the Dems, they are running for the hills!” Trump wrote.

Federal Judge in Maryland has just ruled that “President Trump has the right to end DACA.” President Obama had 8 years to fix this problem, and didn’t. I am waiting for the Dems, they are running for the hills!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 6, 2018

It was the second time since Monday that Trump leveled a Twitter attack on Democrats over DACA. A day earlier, he said Democrats were “nowhere to be found” when it came to DACA negotiations.

“It’s March 5th and the Democrats are nowhere to be found on DACA. Gave them 6 months, they just don’t care,” he tweeted. “Where are they? We are ready to make a deal!”

Trump rescinded the Obama-era program, which temporarily shielded young immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children from deportation, last September.

But in cancelling DACA, Trump gave lawmakers six months – until March 5 – to come up with a legislative solution that would extend the program’s protections.

Congress has struggled for months to reach an agreement to protect the so-called Dreamers. The Senate rejected three separate measures last month intended to extend protections for DACA recipients, after Trump insisted that he would veto any proposal other than one backed by Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa).

Grassley’s proposal was modeled after one pushed by the White House, which would have offered DACA recipients a path to citizenship, but would have also significantly curbed legal immigration.

–Updated at 8:55 a.m.