U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) speaks to reporters after the weekly party caucus luncheons at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S. January 4, 2018. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said on Tuesday that any agreement on dealing with the status of young undocumented immigrants by early March, when the program that protects the so-called Dreamers expires, must be included in a “must-pass” spending bill.

“The bottom line is it must go in a must-pass bill and the only must-pass bill we see coming down the road before March 5 is this bill,” Schumer said, referring to legislation that lawmakers need to pass by Jan. 19, when current government spending expires. The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program is to end on March 5.