The citizenship hopes of 1.8 million immigrants brought to the United States as children hung in the balance Monday as Congress launched debate on the hot-button issue, with President Donald Trump eager to "make a deal" on new legislation.

In offering a path to citizenship for so-called Dreamers, Trump has exceeded the demands of opposition Democrats -- but only in exchange for tough cutbacks on overall immigration and funding for a massive wall on the Mexican border.

The Secure and Succeed Act offers a 10- to 12-year path to citizenship for Dreamers. But it also ends the popular diversity lottery system and sharply limits family-based immigration.

It also allocates $25 billion for tighter border security, including construction of the Mexico wall . Several Democrats have said Trump's plan is dead on arrival because it would so dramatically curb legal immigration.