Negotiations are supposed to begin Wednesday, but Democrats are taking a negative outlook.

Congressional negotiators haven’t even held their first meeting yet to avoid a new shutdown, but the prospect of a big deal on border security and immigration is essentially dead https://t.co/Li7qCcxcgH

— POLITICO (@politico) January 30, 2019

Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin of Illinois said, “I’ve tried to work with this administration on issues involving immigration with a great level of frustration. And I do not want to take so many innocent people whose fate is hanging in the balance of this political debate and start off with the premise that we have a likelihood of solving their problem.”

“Whatever works”

Republican Sen. John Cornyn says the deal sought should be “narrow” in scope, adding, “It’s not going to be a big immigration bill. Because it’s not within their portfolio.”

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he’s for “whatever works,” in order to avoid another shutdown.

Politico notes, “Democrats’ decision to keep DACA off the table may surprise some. Just a year ago, they let the government shut down in hopes of winning protections for Dreamers at risk of deportation. Now Trump and Republicans are desperate for wall money.”

Why are Democrats being so resistant to a deal when President Trump has offered to give protection to “Dreamers,” people who came to this country as kids illegally through no fault of their own?

The President took a big political risk when he ended the government shutdown last week. Why not meet him in the middle?

Aren’t Democrats always talking about meeting in the middle to get stuff done, while calling Republicans “obstructionist?” Who is being obstructionist now?