*By Christian Smith*
Republicans are demonizing legal immigrants and undocumented workers, trying to scare people to the polls in November's midterm elections, said Congressman Darren Soto.
In an interview Tuesday with Cheddar, the Florida Democrat said GOP candidates are pushing xenophobic immigration policies because President Trump's policies have failed to address many voters' economic insecurities.
"How much in way of accomplishments have they had this past year?" Soto asked rhetorically. "Almost nothing. So they have to run on fear and division, which is exactly what they're doing."
The White House is considering a proposal that would limit the number of immigrants who are approved for green cards and citizenship, according to a [report](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/immigration/now-trump-administration-wants-limit-citizenship-legal-immigrants-n897931) from NBC News. The proposal would make it harder for immigrants who have used government social services such as Social Security and food stamps to obtain long-term legal residency status.
Stricter immigration has been one of Trump's signature issues, but only 43 percent of Americans approve of the administration's approach, according to [a new poll](https://www.axios.com/immigration-midterms-2018-support-trump-daca-border-wall-5d633f9a-8857-4eaa-b141-5378603f20f9.html) from Axios. That's on par with the president's overall approval rating, indicating how closely Trump may be identified with the issue. (Support was slightly higher for the president's border wall proposal, at 45 percent.)
Soto said voters are ahead of the GOP on immigration.
"This country is changing," he said. "We're becoming more diverse, and they're fighting against the tide."
For more on this story, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/white-house-reportedly-targeting-legal-immigrants-with-new-plan).
The Federal Reserve cut its key interest rate Wednesday for a second time this year as it seeks to shore up economic growth and hiring even as inflation stays elevated. The move comes amid a fraught time for the central bank, with hiring sluggish and yet inflation stuck above the Fed’s 2% target. Compounding its challenges, the central bank is navigating without much of the economic data it typically relies on from the government. The Fed has signaled it may reduce its key rate again in December but the data drought raises the uncertainty around its next moves. Fed Chair Jerome Powell told reporters that there were “strongly differing views” at the central bank's policy meeting about to proceed going forward.
U.S. and Chinese officials say a trade deal between the world’s two largest economies is drawing closer. The sides have reached an initial consensus for President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping to aim to finalize during their high-stakes meeting Thursday in South Korea. Any agreement would be a relief to international markets. Trump's treasury secretary says discussions with China yielded preliminary agreements to stop the precursor chemicals for fentanyl from coming into the United States. Scott Bessent also says Beijing would make “substantial” purchases of soybean and other agricultural products while putting off export controls on rare earth elements needed for advanced technologies.
A new poll finds most U.S. adults are worried about health care becoming more expensive.
The White House budget office says mass firings of federal workers have started in an attempt to exert more pressure on Democratic lawmakers as the government shutdown continues.
President Donald Trump says “there seems to be no reason” to meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping as part of an upcoming trip to South Korea after China restricted exports of rare earths needed for American industry. The Republican president suggested Friday he was looking at a “massive increase” of import taxes on Chinese products in response to Xi’s moves. Trump says one of the policies the U.S. is calculating is "a massive increase of Tariffs on Chinese products coming into the United States." A monthslong calm on Wall Street was shattered, with U.S. stocks falling on the news. The Chinese Embassy in Washington hasn't responded to an Associated Press request for comment.
Most members of the Federal Reserve’s interest-rate setting committee supported further reductions to its key interest rate this year, minutes from last month’s meeting showed.
