>> It is Friday January 12. Our top story, taking a backseat in the sensational story about the present's use of a vulgarity to describe African and various other countries, is what this latest of people will do to the effort to save DACA. The president's comments, which he has denied a confirm by those present, came during a bipartisan meeting to present a deal to protect DACA recipients. The president's tweets reveal he has rejected that compromise the government shut down the results. Joining me is Andre Guerrero, Executive Director of Alliant San Diego, and immigrant rights organization. Welcome to the program. >> Thank you for having me. >> Is what reportedly happened and what was said during that meeting at the White House change the stakes in the DACA debate? >> I think they revealed the motivation of this president. Ending his first year as he began it with hate, division and exclusion. I think we need to keep our eyes focused on what is at stake right now, and the lives of the dreamers who have been put into jeopardy by the president and who have very few days left. Some have no days at all. Many have status that has already expired. We know 122 dreamers lose status every day, which means they lose their ability to work, their ability to go to school, the ability to provide shelter and food for their families. The stakes are very high. >> The president's tweets talked about a government shut down. Is that the main option left after this meltdown over immigration legislation? >> The leverage is right now. As I said before, January 19 is the deadline to decide spending caps because Republicans don't have votes themselves to move an increase in spending caps they need Democrats. This is opportunities for Democrats of good conscience to take a stand and make sure the dreamer is addressed. The president has been using dreamers as bargaining chips to whittle away at our immigration system. Is repulsive comments the other day were in the context of him trying to eliminate diversity pieces and family migration visas that are mainly used by individuals from African nations and other nations. Asian and Latin American nations. Those comments that he made, especially when juxtaposed with his interest in seeing more immigration from places like Norway, are very revealing about his motivations. Immigration has always been racially motivated in this country. Here's an opportunity for us to put things right and stand for our principles. Stand for principles of compassion, of inclusion, diversity. >> There have been those pushing the idea that Democrats should give the president some kind of victory on his plan to build the wall in order to secure an agreement on DACA and the larger issue of immigration reform. What is your feeling on that? >> We need a bill passed. Period. Congress has independent authority under the Constitution to create legislation. If they can get two thirds of the Senate and House to pass this legislation, they don't need the president at all. The president has said he won't sign a bill that doesn't include a wall, but he has also said he defines that wall in different ways. I don't think the president really knows what he needs and what he wants. And he is certainly not being driven by facts. We are supportive of legislative solutions that are driven by facts, not feelings. That are driven by reality, not hyperbole. And we look to Congress to deliver registration -- legislation that is responsible to the president if he chooses not to sign it. We look to Congress to override his veto and act responsibly in the interest of this country and the people who live in it. >> Dr. Recipients have been on a roller coaster this week. A court ruling reinstated some provisions. The White House meeting on Tuesday looked promising a compromise and this is what happened Tuesday with the president reportedly uttering a vulgarity about immigration. What are you telling these DACA recipients? >> I say hold on tight this is a roller coaster, this is not normal order this is not how we normally craft legislation but we have a short window, window of opportunity and don't be distracted by tweets. Stay laser focused on the end goal which is to get dreamer protections. We saw a lot of positioning and posturing. We have seen the introduction of a couple of pieces of legislation. We will see more on Tuesday and a very fast run to Friday with a piece of legislation that might be one already introduced, when cobbled together from various bills. We will be in DC in force next week representing the interest at the San Diego border region and have ordered dreamers from other Southwest states in order to press forward because we want dreamer solutions, dreamer protections and we want to make sure any conversation around the border and border security is data-driven and responsible. >> I have been speaking with Andre Guerrero, immigrants right organization, thank you. >> Thank you.
President Donald Trump on Friday denied using certain "language" during a private meeting with lawmakers as fury spread over his comments about immigrants. But neither he nor the White House disputed the most controversial of his remarks: using the word "shithole" to describe Africa nations and saying he would prefer immigrants from countries like Norway instead.
Trump's comments came during an Oval Office meeting where he questioned why the U.S. would accept more immigrants from Haiti and "shithole countries" in Africa as he rejected a bipartisan immigration deal, according to people briefed on the extraordinary Oval Office conversation.
"The language used by me at the DACA meeting was tough, but this was not the language used," Trump insisted in a series of Friday morning tweets. "What was really tough was the outlandish proposal made - a big setback for DACA."
RELATED: ‘Racist’ And ‘Shameful’: How Other Countries Are Responding To Trump’s Slur
But Sen. Dick Durbin, the only Democrat in the room, disputed the president's account.
"He said these hate-filled things and he said them repeatedly," Durbin said,
Durbin added, "When the question was asked about Haitians ... he said, 'Haitians? Do we need more Haitians?'"
Trump took particular issue with the characterization of his comments on Haiti. The Washington Post reported that, during the meeting, Trump said immigrants from Haiti should be left out of any new agreement approved by Congress.
"Never said anything derogatory about Haitians other than Haiti is, obviously, a very poor and troubled country. Never said "take them out." Made up by Dems," Trump wrote. "I have a wonderful relationship with Haitians. Probably should record future meetings - unfortunately, no trust!"
Trump's contemptuous blanket description of African countries startled lawmakers in the meeting and immediately revived charges that the president is racist.
"The words used by the President, as related to me directly following the meeting by those in attendance, were not 'tough,' they were abhorrent and repulsive," tweeted Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake.
"I think it was stupid and irresponsible and childish," said Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho. "He's president of the United States. That's not how a president behaves."
The comments also threatened to further imperil immigration talks aimed at extending protections for hundreds of thousands of young immigrants, many of whom were brought to the country as children and are now here illegally. Trump last year ended the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which provided protection from deportation and the ability to work legally in the country. He gave Congress until March to come up with a legislative fix.
"I suspect the Democrats are sitting there going, 'Why would we want to compromise with him on anything," said Simpson, a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee.
Echoed Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine: "These comments are highly inappropriate and out of bounds and could hurt efforts for a bipartisan immigration agreement."
Trump's comments came as two senators presented details of a bipartisan compromise that would protect DACA immigrants — and also strengthen border protections, as Trump has insisted, providing $1.6 billion for a first installment on his long-sought border wall,
The lawmakers had hoped Trump would back their accord, an agreement among six senators evenly split among Republicans and Democrats, ending a monthslong, bitter dispute over protecting the "dreamers."
But Trump rejected the deal, plunging the issue back into uncertainty just eight days before a deadline that threatens a government shutdown.
Trump took particular issue with the idea, explained by Durbin of Illinois, the Senate' s No. 2 Democrat, that, as part of the deal, people who fled to the U.S. after disasters hit their homes in places such as El Salvador, Guatemala and Haiti, would be allowed to stay.
The administration announced last year that it would end a temporary residency permit program that allowed nearly 60,000 Haitians to live and work in the U.S. in the wake of a devastating 2010 earthquake.
Trump also took issue with the idea that, while a lottery that benefits people from Africa and other nations would be ended, there could be another way for them to apply.
The sources spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to publicly describe the conversation.
Asked about the remarks Thursday, White House spokesman Raj Shah did not deny them.
"Certain Washington politicians choose to fight for foreign countries, but President Trump will always fight for the American people," he said in a lengthy statement, adding that Trump supports immigration policies that welcome "those who can contribute to our society."
Trump's remarks were remarkable even by the standards of a president who has been accused of racism by his foes and who has routinely smashed through public decorum that his modern predecessors have generally embraced.
Trump has called himself the "least racist person that you've ever met."
But his political rise was fueled in part by the inaccurate claim that Barack Obama, the nation's first black president, wasn't born in the United States. He launched his campaign with a speech that accused Mexico of sending its "rapists" across the border and at one point proposed a temporary ban on Muslims entering the United States. He also claimed there were "very fine people on both sides" after violence at a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, left one counter-protester dead.
Trump on Friday panned the "so-called bipartisan DACA deal" as "a big step backwards."
"Wall was not properly funded, Chain & Lottery were made worse and USA would be forced to take large numbers of people from high crime ... countries which are doing badly," he wrote.
Federal agencies will run out of money and have to shut down if lawmakers don't pass legislation extending their financing by Jan. 19. Some Democrats are threatening to withhold their votes — which Republicans will need to push that legislation through Congress — unless an immigration accord is reached.
