White House Says Trump 'Will Never Allow' Mass Amnesty After He Floated Working With Democrats on Immigration; Five Republicans Behind the Dignity Act Lost Their Seats, Daily Caller Reports
In an exclusive, the Daily Caller says a White House official ruled out amnesty a day after Trump said the parties could work together on immigration and Vance warned that anyone pushing amnesty 'is lying to you.'
The White House says mass amnesty is off the table, the Daily Caller reports in an exclusive, after President Trump said Democrats and Republicans could work together on immigration.
What Trump said. In an interview Tuesday night on Fox News election coverage with Martha MacCallum and Bret Baier, Trump said Democrats would be "in control but not in control" because he holds the veto. "I can work with them on a lot of things," he said. "We can work with them on immigration. I think. Immigration is a big deal. I've always felt we should be able to work on immigration." The Caller says he did not describe what a deal would look like.
The White House answer. The Caller asked whether amnesty was now on the table. A White House official wrote: "There has never been a stronger administration on immigration enforcement than the Trump Administration. Both the President and Vice President have delivered the most secure border in American history and under their leadership, ICE has shattered arrest records. The Administration will never allow for mass amnesty." A source familiar with internal talks told the Caller that "amnesty is not on the table."
Vance's warning. In his X post on the results, the vice president wrote: "Expect to hear any number of establishment politicians say the solution to our woes is amnesty. I'm open to the idea that we should change enforcement, by focusing more on businesses that hire illegal labor, for instance. But anyone pushing amnesty is lying to you." The Caller says Trump, asked about Vance's post, called it "good," and did not address the amnesty comments.
The numbers. The Caller cites NBC News exit polls showing voters preferred Republicans on immigration, 44 percent to roughly 40 to 41 percent for Democrats. It calls immigration the only issue where Republicans held an advantage.
The Dignity Act. The Caller says five House Republicans tied to the Dignity Act, a bill supporters pitch as a way to curb illegal immigration while giving legal status to long-term undocumented immigrants, lost their seats: David Valadao of California, Monica De La Cruz of Texas, Mike Lawler of New York, Gabe Evans of Colorado and Jen Kiggans of Virginia. It says Valadao, Lawler and Evans were original co-sponsors. The bill's sponsor, Florida Rep. Maria Salazar, kept her seat.
Why it matters here. Two sides inside the party are already reading the results differently on immigration. Vance's post blamed the war, and our earlier reports covered his warning that the establishment would blame migration curbs. This report shows the administration trying to hold that line while Trump keeps the door open to talks.
What we could not check. We read the Caller's report. We did not see the Fox interview or the NBC exit poll ourselves, and the Caller says the White House did not comment on the Dignity Act losses in time for publication.