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Explore our coverage of government and politics.

Rep. Welch: Don't Link Plan To Protect Young Immigrants To Border Security Measures

Rep. Peter Welch wants House Republican leaders to hold a vote on several gun control proposals
AP/Toby Talbot
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Vermont's congressional delegation, including Rep. Peter Welch, center, at a July news conference in Montpelier.
Rep. Peter Peter Welch says it would be a big mistake to link legislation protecting young immigrants to efforts to strengthen security along the Mexican border

Congressman Peter Welch says he's pleased that President Trump is supporting Democratic efforts to protect young immigrants from being deported.

These are cases where the children were brought into the United States illegally by their undocumented parents.

Welch was part of a bipartisan group of lawmakers who discussed the issue with President Trump at the White House on Wednesday afternoon.

The president also wants the legislation to strengthen security measures along the Mexican border, and he says he's willing to delay his plan to build a wall along the border.

But Welch says the immigration plan and the security issues need to be considered separately.

"They aren’t linked and they shouldn’t be linked,” says Welch. “There’s an independent case to be made for these people who are innocent and they’re contributing and we should not be holding them hostage to political points of view about what border security matters should be done."

Welch says he's convinced that a stand-alone bill protecting the young immigrants would pass the House if GOP leaders allowed the legislation to come to the House floor for a vote.

Bob Kinzel has been covering the Vermont Statehouse since 1981 — longer than any continuously serving member of the Legislature. With his wealth of institutional knowledge, he answers your questions on our series, "Ask Bob."
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