Coons: "Trump Came Our Way" On Dreamers

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - A bill that would grant permanent legal status to undocumented immigrants, or 'dreamers', and would invest in border security was introduced by Senators Chris Coons (D-Delaware) and John McCain (R-Arizona).  Coons tells The Chris Stigall Show on Talk Radio 1210 WPHT that the bill addresses the two things that are "pillars that we all can and should agree on." The bill doesn't, however, address family migration or making changes to the diversity lottery program, two issues that President Trump is pushing for.

"What's going to happen probably on Tuesday is, we're going to have a wide open vote on the floor of the Senate, where Leader McConnell has agreed to just put a neutral shell or base bill on the floor, and then it's come one, come all, and we will take votes on a whole series of amendments that will try and deal with the diversity lottery, with family migration, with high-skilled migration, with folks who've been here with temporary protected status who are facing deportation now, there's a whole lot of these other issues and the President is looking for us to address several of them. And we'll take votes, and take votes until its clear what package can get 60 votes."

When asked about whether President Trump's proposal to Democrats, meets what Democrats want on the Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals or DACA program, Coons says, "basically, yes".

"I do think the President came our way on embracing a full pathway to citizenship for a robust definition of 'dreamers'. I think we should be willing to meet that with robust investment in border security."

Stigall pressed Coons on whether he supports building a physical wall at the border.

"I have no problem with making the investments needed to secure our Southern border. I think if we're going to spend billions and billions of dollars on the border, there are places where what is appropriate is a wall, or a double wall, and there are places where it is absolutely a waste of money and time and build a wall, because the border is so remote, that having drones and surveillance and access roads and more agents makes more sense."