Trump showcases negotiating skills in unique immigration meeting

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Washington Times

Rarely has a president granted the media such access to a high-level meeting inside the White House.
As President Trump met with senior congressional Republicans and Democrats on immigration Tuesday, his aides unexpectedly allowed journalists to record the lengthy discussion in the Cabinet room, with both sides airing their views and negotiating openly while cameras rolled. And rolled. And rolled.
Ordinarily, in recent administrations, the press “pool” is invited in at the beginning of such meetings to hear an innocuous opening statement from the president and perhaps to ask a few questions. Typically, journalists are ushered out after only a few minutes.
On Tuesday, a gregarious Mr. Trump kept the press in the room for 55 minutes as he held court.
He invited nearly everyone at the table to have their say. He urged bipartisan cooperation, promising to sign whatever bill Congress brings him. He dangled the prospect of “comprehensive” immigration reform in the near future, despite the well-known opposition from the far right and far left.

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Trump, lawmakers closer to deal on immigration bill after meeting

 

President Trump and congressional negotiators agreed Tuesday to narrow the outlines of the immigration deal they’re working on to four issues: protection of “Dreamers,” enhanced border security, limiting family-based chain migration and curtailing the visa lottery.

All sides said they made real progress after an extraordinary meeting at the White House, where nearly an hour of open negotiations were broadcast on television, giving Americans an unparalleled view into the decision-making process.

Under constant prodding from Mr. Trump, Democrats said they could accept some new enforcement, while Republicans agreed to forgo an even longer list of security upgrades and stricter enforcement they’d been asking for.
The fate of Dreamers and Mr. Trump’s push for a border wall gained urgency as they became entwined with a spending bill that must pass by Jan. 19 to stop a government shutdown.