Schumer’s Moment: Shutdown Puts Spotlight on Dem Leader

For Republicans, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is the face of the government shutdown. For immigration advocates, he's become an unexpected champion.

Schumer has so far succeeded in keeping his party unified in a bid to use the government funding fight to push for protections for some 700,000 young immigrants. But he has little margin for error as he tries to balance an energized liberal base eager for a fight with President Donald Trump and red state senators anxious about their re-election prospects this fall.

Some of those senators met with Schumer Sunday morning and urged a compromise to end the shutdown. Yet the weekend closed without a deal, meaning thousands of federal employees will wake up Monday either being told to stay home or work without pay.