Virginia Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine on Sunday said President Donald Trump continuing to blame Democrats for the lack of permanent protections for young undocumented immigrants is a break with reality.
"He is either lying or he is completely delusional," Kaine said on CNN's "State of the Union."
Trump on Friday said Democrats were responsible for there being no permanent fix on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, claiming, "The Democrats fought us, they just fought every single inch of the way. They did not want DACA in this bill."
Kaine noted that then-President Barack Obama established the program, which has protected undocumented immigrants brought to the US as children from deportation, and that it is Trump who moved to end it.
"One person can save DACA," Kaine said. "If President Trump believes in DACA, all he has to do is retract his executive order from September where he broke a promise to Dreamers and said he was going to end the program."
Trump has repeatedly railed against Democrats on DACA, with his comments on Friday coming as the latest such statement in a string of developments on the immigration program.
Kaine said on Sunday that lawmakers would continue efforts to reach some kind of permanent shield for DACA recipients, but argued that without a consensus from the Republicans, a solution would require returning his party to power.
"We're going to keep looking for a solution, but the key is we do not have the support of the White House, we don't have the support of Republicans," Kaine said. "We either have to change their minds, or we have to get more Democrats in office."
