![Trump: 'I'd love to see a shutdown' unless the immigration deal changes](https://www.theblaze.com/media-library/image.jpg?id=18907108&width=980&quality=85)
President Trump told the media that he would "love to see" a government shutdown if Democrats refuse to meet his demands on an immigration deal. (Image Source: YouTube screenshot)
President Trump is being criticized for saying that unless the immigration deal is changed to meet his standards, he would "love to see a shutdown" of the government.
Here's video of his comments:
Here's what he said in context:
"If we don't change the legislation," Trump warned, "if we don't change the loopholes where killers are allowed to come into our country and continue to kill, and we're just talking about MS-13, there are many gang members that we don't even mention."
"If we don't change it, let's have a shutdown, we'll do a shutdown," he said. "And it's worth it for our country. I'd love to see a shutdown if we don't get this stuff taken care of."
"If we don't straighten out our border, we don't have a country," he said later in the meeting at the White House. "Without borders, we don't have a country.
"So would I shut it down over this issue?" he asked. "Yes, I can't speak for our great representatives here, but I have a feeling they may agree with me. OK? Thank you."
"Dreamers" in limbo
The immigration deal would determine what happens to as many as 800,000 DACA recipients who would be subject to deportation by March 3 if no deal is agreed upon.
Trump has offered to agree to a pathway to citizenship for "dreamers," but Democrats balked his demand to significantly shut down immigration through border enforcement, including $25 billion to build his famed border wall.