WASHINGTON, DC – FWD.us President Todd Schulte issued the following statement today on the ongoing government shutdown:

“If President Trump is serious about getting money for the wall, then everyone knows there is only one way that is going to happen. And if he is serious about a deal that involves permanent protections for Dreamers, here is exactly what has to happen:

1. The President should be specific about how much money he wants or needs in exchange for permanent protections for the Dreamer population.
2. He should pledge to support this and tell Leader McConnell to bring such a bill up for a vote. Anything less won’t be taken seriously, and is nothing more than a political move designed to shift blame.
3. Moreover, if the President is serious about protecting Dreamers – and serious about improving border security – he needs to stop suggesting any immigration compromise must include cuts to legal immigration or the huge changes to the asylum system that his administration and he were pushing as recently as a few hours ago. Those proposals were overwhelmingly rejected by Congress last year, when Republicans controlled both the House and the Senate. They have no chance of passage today.
4. Everyone needs to be willing to compromise, but let’s be clear on where and when that has already happened and what is reasonable. Leaders on both sides have championed the need to protect Dreamers and the need for robust border security.

“It's up to the President to end the crisis he has started. He can do it if he chooses, but this is the path forward–not merely floating interest in a ‘deal’ on background and through allies.”