Democrats and White House trade offers as shutdown of Homeland Security looms

By MARY CLARE JALONICK, KEVIN FREKING and SEUNG MIN KIM

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats have begun tentative talks with the White House on their demands for “dramatic” new restrictions on President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown, discussing a possible agreement just days before funding for the Department of Homeland Security is set to expire.

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said Monday that Democrats had sent the White House their list of demands for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other federal law enforcement agencies. The White House said Monday evening it had responded with a counterproposal.

Neither side released their specific proposals publicly, but Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said there is “forward progress.”

“The Dems and the White House are trading papers, which is a good sign,” Thune said as he left the Capitol. “Hopefully they can find some common ground here, and both sides at this point I think are trying to do that.”

Time is running short, with another partial government shutdown threatening to begin Saturday. Among the Democrats’ demands are a requirement for judicial...