Democrats are increasingly indignant that Republicans are insisting protections for the so-called Dreamers — immigrants brought to the country illegally as children — be combined not only with enhanced border security, but also two additional provisions: a reduction in family migration and a scaling back of the diversity visa program.

”The goal posts have moved,” said Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.).

Senate negotiators — who have worked for months trying to secure a bipartisan deal protecting those eligible for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program — said Thursday they’ve secured a preliminary deal. But the rising concern from Democrats in the lower chamber, combined with early pushback from the White House, could complicate the effort to get the package across the finish line.

“I do not support diversity visas, the lottery, or any other ancillary issue that … has been in the past a part of a larger comprehensive immigration reform package,” said Rep. Joseph Crowley (N.Y.), chairman of the House Democratic Caucus.

Pelosi on Thursday said she’s optimistic that “a solution is in sight.” But she also voiced frustrations that the terms of the initial talks have changed, largely in favor of enforcement-minded Republicans.

“We, all along, were going along with what the president said: He supports the Dreamers … and he wants to have some border security,” Pelosi said Thursday during a press briefing in the Capitol. “Then this week it emerged that he wanted to change immigration policy [by] addressing family unification initiatives … and ending the diversity visa [program].

“People were finding out for the first time that there were communities that were affected by this very directly, and we have to address those concerns.”

Indeed, the changes have sparked a backlash from liberal Democrats, including some leaders and numerous members of the party’s influential minority caucuses.

“I’ve learned in this business that you don’t absolutely close the door on every possibility. But it’s pretty darn close to a deal-breaker,” Butterfield said.

Fueling the Congressional Black Caucus’s opposition is the sense among many members that the Republicans want to dismantle the diversity visa program, not out of national security concerns but for reasons related to race.

“I don’t think it’s as much related to national security as it is to reducing the number of immigrants of color — black immigrants — coming into the country,” Butterfield said. “I hope I’m wrong about that, but that’s what it seems to suggest."

Crowley is also pushing back against the emerging DACA legislation, arguing that anything outside the Dreamer protections should be debated later as part of a larger comprehensive immigration reform package.

“I will reserve my judgment on that when I see the bill itself, [but] I have strong opposition to including diversity visas and family unification — any changes to those laws — as it pertains to the passage of DACA. I don’t think it belongs here,” Crowley said Thursday . “This is being hoisted now at the last minute by the Republicans who don’t want to see anything passed.”

“I think it is a good bill,” Ryan told reporters Thursday . “It's important that we start putting ideas on the table.”

Pelosi pronounced the bill dead-on-arrival even in the House, where the Republicans enjoy a commanding majority. She predicted half of the Republicans would oppose it, along with all of the Democrats.

“Do you think Democrats are going to vote for that bill? That’s completely out of the question,” she said. “It has no prospect for success. Zero.”