Donald Trump suggests two-phase immigration deal

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday suggested two-phase immigration deal, first addressing young immigrants and border security, broader issues later, reports The Associated Press.

Trump held a lengthy meeting with Republican and Democratic lawmakers in an uphill search for an election-year compromise on protecting thousands of young, undocumented immigrants from deportation.

The president says he would need construction of a border security wall as part of an agreement involving young immigrants, but he says Congress could then pursue a comprehensive immigration overhaul in the second phase.

Democrats wanted a deal to help the estimated 700,000 young "Dreamer" immigrants, whose protection from potential deportation under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program ends in early March.

But, under pressure from immigrant groups, they are reluctant to give ground to Trump on the issue of the wall - his central promise from the 2016 presidential campaign.

OneIndia News