After days of imploring Congress to pass legislation fixing “weak and ineffective” immigration laws, President Donald Trump on Friday seemingly backed down, telling Republicans not to waste their time.
Instead, he urged lawmakers to wait until after more Republicans are elected in what he predicted would be a “Red Wave” in November’s elections.
Trump on Tuesday told House Republicans he was behind their immigration legislation “1,000 percent.” By Thursday, after the House rejected a conservative bill and delayed a vote on a compromise version, Trump appeared to lose interest.
Despite the president’s flip-flop, a House vote remains scheduled for next week on the compromise between hard-line and moderate GOP factions.
“I think we are doing quite well on the bill because the conference together is working on it,” House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) said after Trump’s tweet on Friday, according to MSNBC reporter Garrett Haake. “I think it’s important that the House be able to show that we can take the action.”
Trump signed an executive order this week reversing his administration’s policy of separating children from parents caught crossing the border. More than 2,300 immigrant children have been separated from parents under the zero tolerance policy.
CORRECTION: An earlier version misidentified Paul Ryan’s party. He is a Republican.