TOP OF THE AGENDA
White House Unveils Tougher Immigration Proposals
The White House sent to Congress on Sunday a list of hard-line immigration proposals as part of negotiations to extend protections for undocumented immigrants (NYT) brought to the United States as children.
The demands include approving funding for of a U.S.-Mexico border wall, curbing federal grants to so-called sanctuary cities, hiring ten thousand additional immigration agents, and cracking down on entry of Central American child migrants. Democrats rejected the proposals as "far beyond what is reasonable" (WaPo). Some 690,000 immigrants are currently shielded by the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program; their work permits will begin to expire in March 2018 (Guardian).
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ANALYSIS
"The question is whether these are demands, and Trump will veto any bill that helps DREAMers without meeting some or any of these priorities; or whether they are simply the opening bid in a negotiation in which the White House seeks to secure significant border-security concessions from Democrats in exchange for a permanent DACA fix," Dara Lind writes for Vox.
"The thread that links Mr. Trump's actions since taking office is his obsession with undoing all of his predecessor's legacy," Edward Luce writes for the Financial Times.
"Passing a DACA fix is a top priority for Democrats, but they won't go along with Trump's long list of demands, meaning what once seemed like a bipartisan compromise in the works now looks more like another legislative standoff," Tamara Keith writes for National Public Radio.
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AMERICAS
Argentina Airlines Suspends Venezuela Flights
Argentina Airlines has become the latest carrier to drop flights to the capital of Caracas (BBC), citing concerns over political instability. Passenger traffic to Venezuela had dropped 75 percent in the past four years, according to an international airline association.
BRAZIL: An estimated twenty thousand volunteers carried out an informal referendum on the secession of three southern states (AFP) on Saturday. Separatists say they are unfairly taxed.
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