NEW YORK (AP) - Congressional Democrats on Wednesday dug in on their threats to reject any government funding bill that isn't paired with protection for thousands of young immigrants - a hard-line stance celebrated by liberal groups who have shrugged off risks of a government shutdown.
Top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer said there's "very, very strong" sentiment among his party's lawmakers to oppose GOP-drafted legislation that would only keep the government's doors open for four weeks past a looming Friday deadline. Schumer did not say his caucus was entirely unified, but the rhetoric signaled growing chances that a stop-gap measure could come up short of votes in the Senate and federal agencies could begin closing their doors Friday at midnight.
"The overwhelming number in our caucus have said they don't like this deal and they believe if we kick the can down the road this time we'll be back where we started from next time," Schumer told reporters. "So there's very, very strong support not to go along with their deal."
The hardening stance reflects the influence of an emboldened Democratic base clamoring for a showdown with a president many on the left view as racist and untrustworthy. The fight over the fate of the "dreamers" - some 700,000 people who were brought to the U.S. as children and are now here illegally - is increasingly becoming a test of Democrats' progressive mettle as the top year-two priority for the liberal base.
"It needs to be very clear for vulnerable Republicans as well as for Democrats who do not act this week that there will be political consequences," said Cristina Jimenez of the immigrant activist group United We Dream. "The progressive movement who are going to be the boots on the ground for the Democrats to regain power" in November's midterm elections, she added, "are going to hold them accountable if they don't come through."
On Capitol Hill, Democrats are being urged to let federal funding expire unless Republicans and President Donald Trump agree to extend the expiring Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. Protesters have rallied at offices of Senate Democrats, threatened primary foes for those who don't push hard enough for an immigration deal and promised to brand those deemed to have fallen short "the deportation caucus."
That approach undoubtedly comes with risks for the moderates in the party - senators from states won by Trump such as West Virginia, Montana and Indiana. While the tough talk carries weight in some Democratic circles, it's far from clear other voters will look kindly on using federal agencies as leverage in the fight over immigration.
Trump has telegraphed how the GOP would attack Democrats should there be a shutdown this weekend.
"The Democrats want to shut down the government over amnesty for all and border security," Trump tweeted Tuesday. "The biggest loser will be our rapidly rebuilding Military, at a time we need it more than ever."
On Wednesday, ongoing talks over a deal showed no signs of progress.