DACA: How Democrats are fighting back against Trump’s “Drop dead!” decision
Democrats are putting the pressure on Hill Republicans to undo Donald Trump’s decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. The strategy: start the pushback now, and reap the benefits during 2018 election midterms.
Chris Murphy diplomatically put Republicans on notice late yesterday:
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) urged Republicans to join Democrats in passing legislative protection for “Dreamers” after reports that President Trump is set to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.
“Dear Republicans, your moment has come. Every Democrat will join you,” Murphy tweeted. “Show the courage and grace to save these children, and our nation.”
Politico reported Sunday night that Trump has made the decision to end DACA, which temporarily blocked the deportation of undocumented immigrants who were brought to the country as minors and sought work permits.
Nearly 800,000 people brought to the country illegally as children have benefitted from the program.
Dear Republicans, your moment has come. Every Democrat will join you. Show the courage and grace to save these children, and our nation. https://t.co/M8bGZqpYmT
— Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) September 4, 2017
Several other high-profile Democrats took to Twitter to decry Trump’s decision:
If @realDonaldTrump was interested in healing our nation, he wouldn’t end #DACA. His decision is based on heeling to his shrinking base. https://t.co/yjozk69MTp
— Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) September 4, 2017
Young people affected by #DACA are American in every way except immigration status. @POTUS ending program is not who we should be as nation.
— Sen. Al Franken (@SenFranken) September 4, 2017
It’s a cruel hand that extends the American dream and then steals it away. #DACA #DREAMers (1/3)
— Rep. Joe Kennedy III (@RepJoeKennedy) September 4, 2017
And someone wh is far more popular than Donald Trump is poised to speak out:
Former President Barack Obama plans to speak out if President Donald Trump declares his intention to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, according to a person close to Obama. …
Obama used executive actions to launch the program in June 2012, providing assurances before his re-election that he would protect the so-called “Dreamers.” Trump had suggested in the past that he didn’t want to deport Dreamers, saying in April that they should “rest easy,” but the immigration hawks in his administration have argued that DACA is an illegal program.
Obama’s current plan is to post a statement on Facebook and link to it on Twitter, where the former president has more than 94 million followers. In his final presidential press availability, he suggested that he would speak out if Trump went after the Dreamers — and that it was one of the few issues where he would feel morally compelled to do so. He said he would not remain silent in the face of “efforts to round up kids who have grown up here and for all practical purposes are American kids, and send them someplace else, when they love this country.”
Expect Republicans to try to jam up any DACA legislation – up until they realize it will hit them hard during primary season, which is less than six months away. Timing is everything, it turns out.
