As the House prepares to vote on two separate immigration bills, President Donald Trump has questioned the purpose of the exercise due to Republican's slim majority in the Senate.
Trump suggested in a post on Twitter on Thursday that GOP leaders should eliminate the filibuster in the Senate in order to pass immigration reform legislation.
"What is the purpose of the House doing good immigration bills when you need 9 votes by Democrats in the Senate, and the Dems are only looking to Obstruct (which they feel is good for them in the Mid-Terms)," Trump tweeted. "Republicans must get rid of the stupid Filibuster Rule-it is killing you!"
Trump has previously urged Republicans to invoke the so-called "nuclear option" to pass tough immigration laws, although GOP leaders have been reluctant to change Senate rules to lower the threshold to break a filibuster to a simple majority of 51 votes from the current 60 votes.
The tweet from Trump comes as the House is scheduled to vote on a conservative immigration proposal drafted by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte, R-Virg., and a compromise bill negotiated by centrist and conservative Republicans.
The president has expressed support for both bills, although the outcome of the votes in the House remains unclear and either bill is likely to face an even steeper uphill climb in the Senate due to the current filibuster rules.
In an earlier tweet, Trump accused Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., of being weak on crime and border security.
"The Border has been a big mess and problem for many years. At some point Schumer and Pelosi, who are weak on Crime and Border security, will be forced to do a real deal, so easy, that solves this long time problem. Schumer used to want Border security - now he'll take Crime!" Trump tweeted.
Trump also called for changes to country's "ridiculous immigration laws" and reiterated his oft-repeated demand for a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border.
The votes on the House immigration bills come a day after Trump signed an executive order intended to stop children from being separated from their parents at the border.
The executive order will not end the Trump administration's "zero tolerance" policy for illegal immigrants but would allow families to be detained together.
"We're keeping families together, and this will solve that problem," Trump said before signing the order "At the same time, we are keeping a very powerful border and it continues to be a zero-tolerance. We have zero tolerance for people that enter our country illegally."
Trump's decision to sign the executive order came amid widespread condemnation of the family separations, although critics have argued the president is only fixing a problem he caused.
Democrats have claimed the executive order does not address the more than 2,300 children already separated from their parents.
(Photo: Michael Vadon)
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