With US immigration reform efforts hanging by a thread, a bipartisan group of senators unveiled a compromise plan to protect so-called "Dreamers" and boost border security, defying President Donald Trump's demand to embrace his more hardline plan.
The potential breakthrough, reached late on Wednesday after hours of closed-door deliberations, came as efforts to resolve the fate of 1.8 million immigrants brought to the United States illegally as children entered a crucial period in a week set aside for debate on immigration.
The Senate's Republican leadership set Friday as the deadline for striking a deal, and Thursday was shaping up to be a day of consequential votes in the chamber on competing immigration plans, including the president's.
The key will be which of the plans can receive 60 votes, the threshold for advancing legislation in the closely divided 100-member Senate.
The bipartisan measure, which has eight Republican and eight Democratic sponsors, emerged from a centrist group nicknamed the "common sense coalition."
"Our legislation underscores the broad, bipartisan commitment to creating a path to citizenship for Dreamers, who were brought to this country illegally through no decision of their own, while strengthening border security to help stop the flow of illegal immigrants," Senator Susan Collins, a Republican founder of the coalition, said in a statement announcing the measure.
The president's plan protects Dreamers and boosts border security funding, but also abolishes the diversity visa lottery and restricts family reunification, a policy Mr Trump calls "chain migration."
The bipartisan effort would only make limited changes to family reunification, and would leave the diversity lottery untouched, because it is too "politically toxic," Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said.
Mr Graham said there was "growing consensus" around the plan.
"I think that's got the best chance of getting 60" votes, he told AFP.
But supporting the compromise would put members of Mr Trump's own party at odds with the president, who urged senators to oppose any bipartisan plans that were different from his own.
In a statement, the president called on all senators to "oppose any legislation" that fails to address what he calls the "four pillars" in his plan.
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"That includes opposing any short-term 'Band-Aid' approach," he said.
The remark had brought action in the Senate to a virtual standstill, and raised prospects that the chamber would miss its self-imposed deadline on immigration.
Time is an increasingly important factor. Lawmakers for months have struggled to craft a compromise after Mr Trump scrapped a program that allowed Dreamers to stay, and gave Congress until March 5 to find a solution.
Some 690,000 Dreamers registered under the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program -- plus 1.1 million others who were eligible but did not sign up - could begin to face deportation by that date if no fix is in place.
The Senate is expected to consider four plans Thursday: The president's; a Republican bill dealing with "sanctuary cities" which defy federal orders on illegal immigrants; a measure by Republican Senator John McCain and Democrat Chris Coons that addresses DACA and border security but not broader immigration policy; and the bipartisan compromise.
Top Republicans said Mr Trump's plan has the best shot at becoming law out of those being considered. But Democrats have panned it, making it highly unlikely that it would garner enough votes to pass.
In the midst of the showdown, Democrats stressed Mr Trump would be to blame for any failure to reach a deal.
Americans "know this president not only created the problem, but seems to be against every solution that might pass because it isn't 100 per cent of what he wants," top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer said.
"If, at the end of the week, we are unable to find a bill that can pass... the responsibility will fall entirely on the president's shoulders and those in this body who went along with him."
The Senate is not the only hurdle. Any immigration deal would have to also clear the House, where conservatives bridle at the thought of providing "amnesty" to millions of immigrants, and ultimately pass muster with Mr Trump.
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
If you go
The flights
There are various ways of getting to the southern Serengeti in Tanzania from the UAE. The exact route and airstrip depends on your overall trip itinerary and which camp you’re staying at.
Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Kilimanjaro International Airport from Dh1,350 return, including taxes; this can be followed by a short flight from Kilimanjaro to the Serengeti with Coastal Aviation from about US$700 (Dh2,500) return, including taxes. Kenya Airways, Emirates and Etihad offer flights via Nairobi or Dar es Salaam.
The specs: 2017 Dodge Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn
Price, base / as tested: Dhxxx
Engine: 5.7L V8
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 395hp @ 5,600rpm
Torque: 556Nm @ 3,950rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km
