Dreamers marching on Paul Ryan’s office to protest DACA delay

Illegal immigrant “Dreamers” said they were marching on House Speaker Paul D. Ryan’s office Thursday to protest after he brushed aside calls earlier in the morning to set an end-of-the-year deadline to pass legislation granting them full legal status.

Students who walked out of classes from colleges and high schools in the Washington region were gathering on Capitol Hill to demand action, and after Mr. Ryan’s statements, they said they were headed to his office.

Mr. Ryan had said he didn’t think a bill to deal with Dreamers should be part of a year-end spending bill, and said Congress has until March, when the six-month phaseout of the Obama-era DACA deportation amnesty runs out.

“I don’t think there’s any need to have artificial deadlines within the one we already have,” he said.

Democrats and immigrant-rights advocates have insisted they want to see a DACA fix approved before Congress leaves for the year, and some have said they won’t vote for any year-end spending bill unless it includes a full offer of citizenship for Dreamers.

More than a dozen House Republicans held a press conference Thursday to say they, too, wanted to see a bill get done this year.

“I think there is a broad bipartisan — more than 300 Member majority in this House of Representatives — that would pass a reasonable DACA fix today,” said Rep. John Faso, New York Republican.

Mr. Trump has also called for a bill to grant Dreamers permanent status but said he wants it to include major enforcement improvements as well. He also wants to cut down on chain migration.