In a pen-and-pad with reporters Thursday morning, Sen. Jeff Flake said he believes Democrats would ultimately back a legislative punt on Dreamers, “if it comes to that.” | J. Scott Applewhite/AP Flake floats Dreamers extension

Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) is preparing a fallback measure that would extend Obama-era legal protections for young undocumented immigrants paired with some border security funding if Congress fails to come up with a broader agreement on so-called Dreamers.

That result is one that few on Capitol Hill want, yet it may become reality as lawmakers struggle to reach a broader immigration deal that satisfies the Trump administration yet garners sufficient support from congressional Democrats.


In a pen-and-pad with reporters Thursday morning, Flake said he believes Democrats would ultimately back a legislative punt on Dreamers, “if it comes to that.”

Still, “that would be considered a failure by all of us to not do something permanent now,” Flake said. “This has been far too long for us and others to wait. But I do think, in the end, they would take that.”

Whether a temporary, legislative extension of the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program is what will land on President Donald Trump's desk is far from clear. White House chief of staff John Kelly said earlier this week that he would advise against such a punt, although he signaled that it's ultimately Trump's call.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is preparing an open, freewheeling floor debate on immigration next week — a process that has no guaranteed outcome. Amendments will be submitted Monday to a bare-bones base bill.

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In addition to the fallback measure, Flake said he is preparing a more “fulsome” plan that addresses Trump's policy demands on immigration: status for Dreamers, restrictions to family-based immigration laws, a ban on the diversity visa lottery and increased border funds.

Trump gave lawmakers until March 5 to pass legislation that would protect Dreamers and grant them the ability to work. But the administration and congressional Republicans have demanded more restrictive policies in exchange.

The early March deadline is also much more flexible due to a court order that has ordered the administration to take renewal applications from immigrants who’ve already obtained permits from the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. Yet lawmakers still feel some sense of urgency to act as Dreamers remain in legal limbo, and the midterm political season heats up.

“A lot of Democrats, a lot of the base, from what I hear, is just saying: ‘Forget it. Wait for the midterms,'” Flake said. “It’s not as if we hold all the cards here as Republicans.”

Later on Thursday, senators who have met regularly on immigration said they made progress on a possible amendment that the group could offer as part of the immigration debate next week.

Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), who convened the group at her office, told reporters the senators are “pretty close” to hammering out a proposal, but that it wasn’t certain it would be offered next week. In addition, Collins said it’s possible the members of the coalition could offer multiple amendments.

“There will probably be more than one, but it’s too early to tell right now,” she said.“There’s still a lot of discussion going on.”

Ted Hesson contributed to this report.