Then there's that: Trump squeezes Dems with border demands

House Democrats are struggling with a White House request for billions of dollars to address the surge of migrants.

By Sarah Ferris & Heather Caygle @ Politico.com,  Updated 05/07/2019 12:20 AM EDT

Donald Trump has Democrats in a nearly impossible position on the border.

To deal with a surge of migrants crossing into the United States, the White House is asking Congress for billions of dollars in emergency funds. But House Democrats are in no mood to simply hand over the cash after condemning Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric and policies over the past two years.

They also don’t want to ignore a mounting humanitarian crisis.

“So you create chaos, and then ask for more money?” Rep. Katherine Clark (D-Mass.), vice chair of the House Democratic Caucus, said of the White House’s approach.

Still, Democrats are struggling with exactly how to confront the deteriorating situation at the southern border — particularly without legitimizing Trump’s harsh immigration stances or bolstering his argument for a massive border wall, which they’re trying to block in court [....]