Frustrated Trump wants action on border wall, immigration

President Trump on Tuesday demanded that Congress make progress on building his signature wall along the Mexican border, underlining his frustration with the lack of legislative progress on immigration.

During a visit to Capitol Hill, Trump called on Congress to beef up border security, crack down on so-called sanctuary cities and end the practice of “catch and release” immigration laws — a slate of ideas that have run into a buzz saw of opposition from Democrats.

“We are calling on Congress to secure our borders, support our border agents, stop sanctuary cities and shut down policies that release violent criminals back into our communities,” Trump said at an event outside the Capitol honoring fallen law enforcement officers. “We don’t want it any longer. We’ve had it. Enough is enough.”

Trump then brought his calls for a border wall directly to Senate Republicans during a private lunch at the Capitol, according to GOP lawmakers who attended the meeting.

“He wants the wall. He made that abundantly clear,” Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) told reporters. “He said, ‘I want the wall.’ I don’t think that’s news.”

“He said we have to secure the border. And the American people support us on that,” added Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.).

While Trump did not threaten to shut down the government over the issue during Tuesday’s closed-door lunch, the president tweeted earlier this month that any funding measure — including a short-term continuing resolution that would be due at the end of September — needs to include money for the border wall.

The demands could create headaches for congressional leaders as they try to hash out spending agreements that can pass both chambers and avoid another government shutdown just weeks before the midterm elections.

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http://thehill.com/homenews/house/387871-frustrated-trump-wants-action-on-border-wall-immigration?userid=97206

MELANIE ZANONA