Rep. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill., is "thankful" that House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., spoke for hours on behalf of young undocumented immigrants, but thinks she needs to "stop the Democrats from folding."
On Wednesday, Pelosi held the floor of the House for over eight hours, speaking on behalf of Dreamers, those in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.
"I'm thankful to her for giving that speech, I applaud her for giving the speech, and now tomorrow I want her to use the same kind of tenacity and muscle and perseverance to stop the Democrats from folding," Gutierrez said to reporters Wednesday evening, according to The Hill.
"Because what you have is collusion –– whether or not the Intelligence Committee agrees –– between a group of Democrats and Donald Trump that will lead to the deportation of Dreamers."
Although Senate leaders recently announced a bipartisan budget agreement, Pelosi said in her speech that she could not support the bill without a scheduled vote on DACA, which Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., voiced support for.
"Without that commitment from [House] Speaker [Paul] Ryan, comparable to the commitment from Leader McConnell, this package does not have my support, nor does it have the support of a large number of members of our Caucus," Pelosi said.
However, the budget deal does include several provisions that Democrats support, such as increased funding for children's healthcare, the opioid crisis and disaster relief, which could lead to Democrats supporting it anyway, especially if the party leadership doesn't push hard against it.
"There's all kinds of ways, I assure you, that leadership exercises its influence, the least of which are floor speeches," Gutierrez added.
"When the deportations begin, anybody that voted for that bargain Thursday also voted to collude with Republicans to lead to the deportation of Dreamers," he said.
"And they will come for them, if we don't stop them."
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