By Valeria Bula
President Donald Trump is expected to cease DACA, also known as Deferred Action for
Childhood Arrivals, the American immigration policy founded by the Obama administration in June 2012 which allows certain illegal immigrants who entered the country as minors to receive a renewable two-year period of deferred action from deportation and eligibility for a work permit and study in the US.
The beneficiaries of this program – known as “DREAMERs” – face the now imminent threat of deportation, for many, to a “home” country completely foreign to them.
Sources reveal that there is to be a six-month delay in action regarding DACA itself in order to allow Congress time to fix a legislation that would allow the undocumented immigrants to stay in the country.
Trump’s expected move is one that will satisfy his base, however deteriorate the lives of nearly 800,000 people currently studying and residing in the US. The program is one that is especially popular among Democrats and moderate Republicans, most of whom have introduced legislation into Congress in efforts to protect the population.
The White House announced that its final decision, however, will be announced on Tuesday. Sources familiar with the matter have reported a meeting at the White House to discuss the issue, on Sunday, as first reported by Politico.
The decision unleashed a flood gate of responses, from Democrats and immigration advocates calling it a cruel move on Trump’s part, while supporters hailing the move as a “restoration of the rule of law.”
“If Trump decides to end DACA, it will be one of the ugliest and cruelest decisions ever made by a president in our modern history,” Vermont Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders tweeted.
If Trump decides to end DACA, it will be one of the ugliest and cruelest decisions ever made by a president in our modern history. https://t.co/EXfRAy5azO
— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) September 4, 2017
America is strongest when we come together and reject xenophobia. Congress must permanently protect Dreamers and reject Trump's bigotry. https://t.co/zn0Mk1rd11
— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) September 5, 2017
On the other hand, Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, said on Twitter that ending DACA would give
“chance 2 restore Rule of Law.”
Ending DACA now gives chance 2 restore Rule of Law. Delaying so R Leadership can push Amnesty is Republican suicide. https://t.co/iYOLxFWp7V
— Steve King (@SteveKingIA) September 4, 2017
Some members of Trump’s own party, however, have made attempts to mitigate the issue, many calling on Trump to keep the program going as Congress seeks a solution for the population.
This view was portrayed amongst notable members of the Republican party, including House Speaker Paul Ryan and Arizona Se. Jeff Flake.
Trump’s sentiment towards the policy was one he has demonstrated to be fluid in approaching. During his election, he held the hard stance that, upon his election, he would immediately rescind Obama’s policy. While in office, however, he sympathized with the “Dreamers,” saying that it was a “very, very hard” decision he faced.
Trump’s decision is expected to come even in the midst of turmoil caused Hurricane Harvey’s devastation, when many undocumented immigrants feared having their status checked at shelters, increasing the fear of deportation amongst the population.
Trump’s sudden move was instigated by 10 state attorney generals who presented to Trump an ultimatum: if the administration did not rescind DACA by September 5, they would challenge it in court.
To add fuel to the flame, these attorney generals have also succeeded in stopping a similar immigration grogram which benefited the parents of the childhood arrivals to the US (DAPA). If Trump does not act, they will file to add DACA to that same lawsuit.
To address complaints of the program being eliminated through executive authority, Trump, along with Chief of Staff, John Kelly, have prodded Congress to come up with a permanent solution for the program.
Trump’s move will ultimately place immense amounts of pressure onto Congress to attempt to seek a compromise both sides can conform to, as well as holding in their hands the fate of thousands of people. This load is added to the existing issues Congress must already tackle, including raising the debt ceiling and providing aid to Hurricane Harvey’s devastation.
