Democrats are holding a temporary funding bill “hostage” by insisting it includes protections for immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children, GOP Texas Rep. Jeb Hensarling told CNBC on Thursday.
Republican lawmakers are seeking votes this week for an extension of funding to prevent the federal government from shutting down on Saturday.
Democrats want the bill to include protections for so-called dreamers — immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children and were protected from deportation by the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. President Donald Trump ordered DACA to end in March unless Congress can come up with a legislative fix.