What makes immigration deals so hard

Rabbis protesting on Capitol Hill. A president facing accusations of racism. And lawmakers from both parties risking a government shutdown amid calls from their base to refuse the other side’s demands.

This is the state of the nation’s capital as Congress stares down a deadline to approve funding for government operations. 

The issue at the heart of the chaos: immigration. Specifically, a deal that offers a reprieve for the 700,000 unauthorized immigrants brought to the country as children and temporarily protected under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program. The program is set to expire in March.

Democrats looking to their base find themselves under pressure to reject a spending bill – even a short-term one – that does not include a fix for DACA. Republicans, who hold majorities in both the House and the Senate, are

A nation of immigrantsA series of attempts – and failuresA narrow deal