Trump informs House Republicans that he wants immigration and border wall funding

As part of an ambitious plan that also includes extending his signature tax cuts and allowing greater oil and gas production, President Donald Trump expressed his hope to House Republicans that they will approve legislation funding the building of the border wall and increased deportation activities. Trump told GOP legislators assembled at his Doral property in Miami on Monday, "I look forward to working with Congress on a reconciliation bill that financially takes care of our plans to totally and permanently restore the sovereign borders of the United States once and for all." In addition to a "massive increase in the number of detention beds and funding for all border security infrastructure and barriers, including completion of the border wall," Trump declared his desire for "full funding for a record increase in border security personnel and retention bonuses for ICE and border control"—a reference to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Trump also made it clear that he wanted to be able to deport illegal immigrants, even if they couldn't be sent back to their countries of origin. Trump stated, "Instead of being kept in our jails for enormous sums of money, let them be taken to a foreign country and maintained by others for a very small fee." The president's comments seemed to support a recent CBS News story that his administration was negotiating an arrangement with El Salvador's government that would allow the US to deport migrants there as a "safe third country," even if he stated that such a program was "subject to getting it approved." That proposal would resurrect an agreement made during Trump's first term but never carried out. To fulfil the president's campaign promises of cutting taxes, boosting domestic energy production, and tightening regulations on US-Mexico border crossings, House Republicans convened to hear directly from the president. Although he was unsure of the legislative vehicle they would use to do this, Trump stated that he was "eager to get to work with Congress on the largest package of tax cuts and reforms in American history." Trump stated that he did not "want to get hung up on the budget process" and that he did not care whether there were one or two bills. GOP talks In an effort to come together on a plan to achieve those objectives and figure out how to counterbalance the high cost associated with those priorities, Speaker Mike Johnson stated that the members are spending a significant portion of the two-day retreat behind closed doors. Finding agreement on increasing the national debt ceiling is another item on the agenda. Trump, who favours swift action, is up against hard-line party members who want to use the vote to impose divisive spending cutbacks . Additionally, Republicans are facing their first significant legislative test since taking over the White House and Congress and financing the government before the March 14 shutdown. If they can all work together, Republicans have a unique chance to pass energy, tax, and border legislation with only their own party's votes. Republicans can only afford to lose a few votes in either house due to the close margins in both the House and the Senate. Vice President JD Vance will address House Republicans at their next meeting on Tuesday at the Doral golf club. Trump is expected to visit the White House again on Monday night.

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