Republicans divided on minimum needed for immigration deal

The White House and many House Republicans say that at a bare minimum, four pillars need to be addressed in any bill: border security, protections for “Dreamers” who will lose their legal status with the end of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, family-sponsored visas and the Diversity Visa lottery program.

But House Democrats and some senators of both parties say the only realistic path to a bipartisan deal is a narrowed focus on DACA, which is all Democrats really want, and border security, Republicans’ top priority.

“My own view is if we can solve DACA and border security, that may be the best we can hope for,” Senate Republican Conference Chairman John Thune told reporters here Thursday.