Graham on government shutdown over DACA fix: ‘Anything is possible’

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said Sunday that Congress should look to make a solution to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program part of a year-end government funding bill.

“I think most Americans want to get these DREAM Act kids a more certain life. Let’s do it in December, let’s do it for the good of the country, let’s take care of a lot of problems at one time to show the country we actually can function,” Graham said on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

Graham and Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) earlier this year revived discussion around the DREAM Act, which would offer a path to citizenship to young immigrants brought to the country illegally as children.

Graham’s comments differ from the view of the Trump administration and other Senate Republicans, who have said they would not include a DACA fix in a year-end spending bill to keep the government open.

{mosads}Asked if he thinks a government shutdown is possible over the issue, Graham quipped “In Congress, anything is possible.” 

“I think it would be sad to miss this opportunity,” he added. 

The Trump administration announced in September it would be ending DACA on a six-month delay, giving Congress a window to pass legislation to extend protections for recipients.