House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi of California, meets with reporters at her weekly news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 6, 2018. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) (Associated Press) 
 
 House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi of California, meets with reporters at her weekly news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 6, 2018. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) (Associated Press) 
 
 House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi of California, meets with reporters at her weekly news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 6, 2018. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) (Associated Press) House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi of California, meets with reporters at her weekly news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 6, 2018. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) (Associated Press) 
 
 WASHINGTON (AP) — House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi on Thursday rejected the idea of paying for President Donald Trump's border wall in exchange for helping hundreds of thousands of young immigrants avoid deportation. 
 
 Funding for the wall — a top Trump priority — and legal protections for so-called Dreamers, a key Democratic goal, should not be linked, Pelosi said. 
 
 "They're two different subjects," she said. 
 
 Her comments came as the House and Senate approved a stopgap bill Thursday to keep the government funded through Dec. 21. The measure, approved by voice votes in near-empty chambers, now goes to the White House. 
 
 Trump has promised to sign the two-week extension to allow for ceremonies this week honoring former President George H.W. Bush, who died Nov. 30. But he wants the next funding package to include at least $5 billion for his proposed wall, something Democrats have rejected. Trump is set to meet Tuesday at the White House with Pelosi and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer. 
 
 In a tweet late Thursday, Trump warned of the potential for "Big danger" at the U.S.-Mexico border in Arizona, demanding, "Nancy and Chuck must approve Boarder Security and the Wall!" 
 
 Pelosi, who is seeking to become House speaker in January, said the lame-duck Congress should now pass a half-dozen government funding bills that key committees have already agreed on, along with a separate measure funding the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the border. Funding for the homeland agency should address border security and does not necessarily include a wall, Pelosi said. 
 
 Most Democrats consider the wall "immoral, ineffective and expensive," Pelosi said, noting that Trump promised during the 2016 campaign that Mexico would pay for it, an idea Mexican leaders have repeatedly rejected. 
 
 Even if Mexico did pay for the wall, "it's immoral still," Pelosi said. 
 
 Protecting borders "is a responsibility we honor, but we do so by honoring our values as well," she added. 
 
 Schumer said Thursday that a bipartisan Senate plan for $1.6 billion in border security funding does not include money for the 30-foot-high (9-meter-high) concrete wall Trump has envisioned. The money "can only be used for fencing" and technology that experts say is appropriate and makes sense as a security feature, Schumer said. 
 
 If Republicans object to the proposal because of pressure from Trump, Schumer said lawmakers should follow Pelosi's advice and approve six appropriations bills and a separate measure extending current funding for Homeland Security. 
 
 Either option would avert a partial government shutdown, which lawmakers from both parties oppose, he said. 
 
 "The one and only way we approach a shutdown is if President Trump refuses both of our proposals and demands $5 billion or more for a border wall," Schumer said. He called the wall "a nonstarter" for Democrats, who face increasing pressure from outside groups and liberal lawmakers to resist Trump's continued push for the barrier, which Trump says is needed to stop an "invasion" of Central American migrants and others from crossing into the country illegally. 
 
 Schumer called the spat over the wall unnecessary, noting that the administration has not spent more than $1 billion approved for border security in the budget year that ended Sept. 30. "The idea that they haven't spent last year's money and they're demanding such a huge amount this year makes no sense at all," he said. 
 
 Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Shelby said he prefers to include Homeland Security in an omnibus package containing seven unresolved spending bills for the current budget year. 
 
 "I believe the best route is to keep all seven together and pass them," the Alabama Republican told reporters Thursday. Lawmakers have "made a lot of progress" in recent weeks on the seven spending bills. "I'd like to conclude it,'" he said. 
 
 Missouri Sen. Roy Blunt, a member of Republican leadership, said the key question is whether Trump will sign a bill without funding for the wall. 
 
 "It doesn't matter how much appetite there is for a shutdown anywhere else, if he is willing to have a shutdown over this issue," Blunt said. "He has given every indication that he would." 
 
 ___ 
 
 Associated Press writers Alan Fram and Padmananda Rama contributed to this story. ||||| For more than a year, Trump has shown willingness to let the government shut down in order to secure wall funding. Last month, he said he would be "totally willing" to do so. If spending talks crumble, funding will lapse for seven government agencies — including the Department of Homeland Security, which is crucial to enforcement of U.S. immigration policy. 
 
 At least two possible solutions have surfaced: approving a smaller chunk of money for border security, or extending current funding levels for up to a year and passing off the political battle to the next Congress. 
 
 "Republicans still control the House, the Senate, and the White House, and they have the power to keep government open. Our country cannot afford a Trump Shutdown, especially at this time of economic uncertainty," Pelosi and Schumer said in a joint statement Monday. "This holiday season, the president knows full well that his wall proposal does not have the votes to pass the House and Senate, and should not be an obstacle to a bipartisan agreement." 
 
 In a string of tweets Tuesday morning ahead of the meeting, Trump appeared to lower expectations for approving his desired border wall funding. He said "I look forward to my meeting" with Schumer and Pelosi but claimed the lawmakers "no longer want" border security. Democrats have repeatedly disputed that claim, as they passed an additional $1.6 billion for border security in last year's spending bill. 
 
 Trump claimed "the Wall will get built" even if Democrats do not approve the money. He contended that "people do not realize how much of the Wall, including really effective renovation, has already been built." While Congress has allocated money to build new fencing or replace existing structures on the border during Trump's administration, it has not constructed any of the "wall" prototypes that the president desires. 
 
 He claimed the military would "build the remaining sections of the Wall" if Democrats do not approve cash to construct it. It is unclear how that would happen, as Congress already passed a Defense Department spending bill without border wall funding. Trump sent troops to the U.S.-Mexico border earlier this year as he tried to stoke concerns about an approaching "caravan" of Central American migrants. 
 
 In a tweet last week that misspelled "border," Trump said "Nancy and Chuck must approve Boarder Security and the Wall!" 
 
 Pelosi has drawn a line in the sand as she prepares to lead the House. Last week, the California Democrat said she would not approve border wall funding in exchange for legal protections for young immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children — a deal Democrats were reportedly open to earlier in the Trump administration. Pelosi called them "two different subjects." 
 
 Beyond the considerations of keeping the government open, Pelosi also has to deal with dynamics within her party as she tries to secure enough votes to become speaker next month. Some current and incoming House Democrats have agitated not to give Trump a cent for his immigration goals. The leaders of the current GOP-held House support $5 billion in border wall money. 
 
 As his party's Senate seats will dwindle to 47 from 49 next month, Schumer has shown more willingness to compromise with Trump than Pelosi has. He has supported a bipartisan deal to approve $1.6 billion in funding for border security fencing — but not a "wall" as Trump describes it. Lawmakers approved the same sum for border security in last year's spending bill. 
 
 Last month, Schumer accused Trump of throwing a "temper tantrum" over the wall and said "the president is the only person who holds the ultimate responsibility for a government shutdown." ||||| Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky, heads to a meeting with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Trump's top economic adviser Gary Cohn, and members of the Senate Budget Committee as they struggle... (Associated Press) 
 
 Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky, heads to a meeting with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Trump's top economic adviser Gary Cohn, and members of the Senate Budget Committee as they struggle with a tax code overhaul that will add to the deficit as they work on a GOP budget plan that's... (Associated Press) 
 
 WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on President Donald Trump and immigration (all times local): 
 
 11:52 a.m. 
 
 The top Senate Republican says the program to protect young immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally should be part of any discussion about immigration, border security and enforcement. 
 
 Majority Leader Mitch McConnell also says Congress is looking forward to getting a legislative proposal from the Trump administration. Meanwhile, the White House is insisting that's up to Congress. 
 
 The statement comes amid more confusion over statements and comments from President Donald Trump after his dinner with Democratic leaders Wednesday night. 
 
 Trump said Thursday he was "fairly close" to a deal with congressional leaders to preserve protections for young immigrants. He pushed back against the Democratic leaders, who claimed he reached a deal with them on protections for young immigrants. He also said his promised wall along the U.S.-Mexico border would "come later." 
 
 ___ 
 
 11:20 a.m. 
 
 President Donald Trump says that, "ultimately," funding for a border wall with Mexico must be part of any immigration deal. But he says that funding can come at a later date. 
 
 Trump tells reporters in Florida that: "We have to have an understanding that, whether it's in the budget or some other vehicle, in a fairly short period of time, the wall will be funded." 
 
 He says, "Otherwise we're not doing anything." 
 
 Trump and Democratic leaders talked Wednesday night over dinner about what to do with the hundreds of thousands of young immigrants brought to the country illegally as children. 
 
 Democrats Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer announced they'd reached an agreement with Trump that does not include wall funding. But the White House says that's premature. 
 
 ___ 
 
 11:20 a.m. 
 
 President Donald Trump says he's "not looking at citizenship" for young immigrants living in the in U.S. illegally and "not looking at amnesty." 
 
 But Trump tells reporters in Florida that: "We're looking at allowing people to stay here." 
 
 Trump was referring to the hundreds of thousands of young immigrants who've been protected from deportation and given permission to work in the country under the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. 
 
 Trump says he's been working with both Democrats and Republicans to come up with a solution before a six-month deadline he imposed. 
 
 Trump is denying he reached a deal with Democrats on the issue Wednesday night, but says that: "Everybody's on board." 
 
 ___ 
 
 10:55 a.m. 
 
 A spokeswoman says President Donald Trump "does not support amnesty," but may be open to a pathway to citizenship for some people living in the country illegally. 
 
 White House spokeswoman Lindsay Walters tells reporters traveling with the president to Florida that "the Trump administration will not be discussing amnesty." 
 
 But she says the president wants "a responsible path forward" on immigration reform that "could include legal citizenship over a period of time." She later said that is just one possible example of what Congress might do. 
 
 Walters is also repeating the president's assertion that "no deal" was made on protections for young immigrants during a dinner Wednesday night between the president and Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer. 
 
 She says they had "a constructive conversation," but "there was no deal made." 
 
 ___ 
 
 10:36 a.m. 
 
 President Donald Trump and Democratic leaders have reached an understanding on protections for young immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children. 
 
 That's the word Thursday from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York. Speaking on the Senate floor, Schumer said: "We all agreed on a framework. ... We agreed the president would enshrine DACA protections into law ... What remains to be negotiated are the details of border security." 
 
 Schumer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi dined with Trump at the White House on Wednesday night and issued a statement on an agreement. 
 
 On Thursday morning, Trump said he's "fairly close" to reaching a deal with congressional leaders. The president insisted he needs "massive border security." 
 
 Trump spoke after denying assertions by Democratic leaders that they reached an agreement with him on the so-called DACA program. 
 
 ___ 
 
 8:50 a.m. 
 
 President Donald Trump says he's "fairly close" to reaching a deal with congressional leaders on protections for young immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children. But the president says he needs "massive border security." 
 
 Trump spoke Thursday morning — after denying assertions by Democratic leaders that they reached an agreement with him on the so-called DACA program. 
 
 In a statement, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi insist they agreed, with Trump, to "enshrine the protections of DACA into law quickly" and to work out a package on border security — excluding Trump's planned wall along the U.S. southern border. 
 
 Trump told reporters Thursday morning that House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell agree with him on DACA. 
 
 That's after Trump tweeted early Thursday that "no deal was made last night" on the issue. 
 
 ___ 
 
 8:30 a.m. 
 
 Democratic leaders in Congress and President Donald Trump can't seem to agree on just what it is they agreed to at a White House dinner. 
 
 Here's the version from New York Sen. Chuck Schumer and California Rep. Nancy Pelosi: They say there's an agreement on putting into law an Obama administration program that's given protection to certain young immigrants. These are immigrants living in the country illegally who were brought here as children to remain in the United States. 
 
 They say Trump said he'd encourage the House and Senate to act. 
 
 The leaders also say both sides agreed to work out a U.S.-Mexico border security package — but it wouldn't include Trump's border wall. They say Trump made clear he'll pursue that later. 
 
 Schumer and Pelosi in a statement that Trump's tweets Thursday morning denying a deal "are not consistent" with what took place at their dinner. 
 
 ___ 
 
 6:30 a.m. 
 
 President Donald Trump is denying assertions by the two top congressional Democrats that they have an agreement with him that will preserve protections for young immigrants in the U.S. illegally while adding border security without the wall he has coveted. 
 
 Trump sent out a series of tweets before daybreak Thursday taking issue with characterizations by Sen. Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of talks the group at a White House dinner Wednesday evening. 
 
 Schumer and Pelosi said they'd reached an agreement to restore the so-called DACA program in exchange for some additional security enhancements to ward off illegal immigration. But Trump said in a tweet: "No deal was made last night on DACA." 
 
 "Massive border security would have to be agreed to in exchange for consent. Would be subject to vote," the president said. 
 
 ___ 
 
 3:40 a.m. 
 
 The top House and Senate Democrats say they have reached agreement with President Donald Trump to protect thousands of younger immigrants from deportation and fund some border security enhancements — not including Trump's coveted border wall. 
 
 The agreement represents the latest instance of Trump ditching his own party to make common cause with the opposition. It was announced by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi late Wednesday following a White House dinner that Republican lawmakers weren't invited to attend. It would enshrine protections for the nearly 800,000 immigrants brought illegally to this country as kids who had benefited from former President Barack Obama's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program, which provided temporary work permits and shielded recipients from deportation. 
 
 Trump ended the program earlier this month and gave Congress six months to come up with a legislative fix before the statuses of the so-called "Dreamers" begin to expire.
– House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi on Thursday rejected the idea of paying for President Trump's border wall in exchange for helping hundreds of thousands of young immigrants avoid deportation. Funding for the wall—a top Trump priority—and legal protections for so-called Dreamers, a key Democratic goal, should not be linked, Pelosi said. "They're two different subjects," and most Democrats consider the wall "immoral, ineffective, and expensive," Pelosi said. Her comments came as the House and Senate approved a stopgap bill Thursday to keep the government funded through Dec. 21, the AP reports. The measure, approved by voice votes in near-empty chambers, now goes to the White House. Trump has promised to sign the two-week extension to allow for ceremonies this week honoring former President George HW Bush, who died Nov. 30. But he wants the next funding package to include at least $5 billion for his proposed wall, something Democrats have rejected. Trump is set to meet Tuesday at the White House with Pelosi and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer. Schumer said Thursday that a bipartisan Senate plan for $1.6 billion in border security funding does not include money for the 30-foot-high concrete wall Trump has envisioned. In a tweet late Thursday, Trump warned of the potential for "Big danger" at the US-Mexico border in Arizona, demanding, "Nancy and Chuck must approve Boarder Security and the Wall!" (Trump says he is "totally willing" to shut down the government if funding for the wall is not approved.)