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| Fate of Dreamers in Congress's hands as stage set for immigration showdown | Fate of Dreamers in Congress's hands as stage set for immigration showdown |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Donald Trump said he would “revisit” an Obama-era program that shielded immigrants brought into the country illegally as children from deportation if Congress failed to act, capping the day with a tweet that is likely to confuse an already fraught political battle on Capitol Hill. | |
| Congress now has 6 months to legalize DACA (something the Obama Administration was unable to do). If they can't, I will revisit this issue! | |
| It was unclear what the president meant by “revisit”; the White House and justice department did not immediately reply to requests for clarification. | |
| The president’s Tuesday night tweet about the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (Daca) program – which came just hours after his administration declared the policy legally indefensible – was the bookend to a morning post imploring Congress to “do your job - DACA”. | |
| Announcing his decision to terminate the program, Trump called on lawmakers to resolve the status of the 800,000 “Dreamers”, the young undocumented immigrants who currently live and work in the US without the threat of deportation, “with heart and compassion”. He added that he had a “great heart” and a “great love” for them. | |
| “Really we have no choice, we have to be able to do something,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Tuesday. | “Really we have no choice, we have to be able to do something,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Tuesday. |
| On Capitol Hill, what that “something” was appeared to confound lawmakers returning after the August recess to face a packed legislative agenda. | On Capitol Hill, what that “something” was appeared to confound lawmakers returning after the August recess to face a packed legislative agenda. |
| They must raise the US debt limit by 29 September; pass a spending bill by 30 September, to avert a shutdown of the federal government; and dispatch billions of dollars to Texas and Louisiana in the wake of Hurricane Harvey. | They must raise the US debt limit by 29 September; pass a spending bill by 30 September, to avert a shutdown of the federal government; and dispatch billions of dollars to Texas and Louisiana in the wake of Hurricane Harvey. |
| There are also looming deadlines for the reauthorization of critical government programs such as flood insurance and children’s health insurance, as well as Trump’s wish for an overhaul of the nation’s tax code. | There are also looming deadlines for the reauthorization of critical government programs such as flood insurance and children’s health insurance, as well as Trump’s wish for an overhaul of the nation’s tax code. |
| Trump’s decision to throw the future of Daca recipients to the House and Senate raises the specter of a protracted showdown over immigration, an issue that has haunted Washington for decades. | Trump’s decision to throw the future of Daca recipients to the House and Senate raises the specter of a protracted showdown over immigration, an issue that has haunted Washington for decades. |
| Republicans face “a defining moment”, one top GOP senator said, as they weigh the futures of hundreds of thousands who were brought to the US illegally as children. Lindsey Graham, from South Carolina, challenged his colleagues to “make the case these kids don’t belong here. Because I’m going to make the case they do.” | Republicans face “a defining moment”, one top GOP senator said, as they weigh the futures of hundreds of thousands who were brought to the US illegally as children. Lindsey Graham, from South Carolina, challenged his colleagues to “make the case these kids don’t belong here. Because I’m going to make the case they do.” |
| Speaking at a press conference on Capitol Hill, Graham renewed his push for legislation known as the Dream Act that would grant a path to permanent residency for Dreamers. Graham is a co-sponsor of the bill, reintroduced with the Illinois Democrat Dick Durbin. | Speaking at a press conference on Capitol Hill, Graham renewed his push for legislation known as the Dream Act that would grant a path to permanent residency for Dreamers. Graham is a co-sponsor of the bill, reintroduced with the Illinois Democrat Dick Durbin. |
| Graham encouraged Dreamers not to lose hope, even as he acknowledged: “The only thing that stands between you and certainty is Congress. | Graham encouraged Dreamers not to lose hope, even as he acknowledged: “The only thing that stands between you and certainty is Congress. |
| “That can’t be reassuring,” he said. | “That can’t be reassuring,” he said. |
| Previous versions of the Dream Act have succumbed to deep-rooted conservative opposition and Trump’s win in the 2016 election on a hardline immigration platform was viewed by many on the right as vindication for such intransigence. On Tuesday, as the White House ruled out support for a standalone measure to protect Dreamers, the legislative road ahead appeared unclear. | Previous versions of the Dream Act have succumbed to deep-rooted conservative opposition and Trump’s win in the 2016 election on a hardline immigration platform was viewed by many on the right as vindication for such intransigence. On Tuesday, as the White House ruled out support for a standalone measure to protect Dreamers, the legislative road ahead appeared unclear. |
| A handful of Republicans expressed support for legislation to extend protections to Dreamers. The House speaker, Paul Ryan, called for consensus “on a permanent legislative solution that includes ensuring that those who have done nothing wrong can still contribute as a valued part of this great country”. | A handful of Republicans expressed support for legislation to extend protections to Dreamers. The House speaker, Paul Ryan, called for consensus “on a permanent legislative solution that includes ensuring that those who have done nothing wrong can still contribute as a valued part of this great country”. |
| The Arizona senators John McCain and Jeff Flake, who were among the authors of a failed 2013 immigration reform bill, also implored Congress to move quickly. | The Arizona senators John McCain and Jeff Flake, who were among the authors of a failed 2013 immigration reform bill, also implored Congress to move quickly. |
| “Congress must act immediately to pass permanent, standalone legislation to lawfully ensure that children who were brought here by their parents, through no fault of their own, are able to stay and finish their education and continue to contribute to society,” said Flake. | “Congress must act immediately to pass permanent, standalone legislation to lawfully ensure that children who were brought here by their parents, through no fault of their own, are able to stay and finish their education and continue to contribute to society,” said Flake. |
| There are “a lot of innocent kids counting on Congress to do its job”, he said. | There are “a lot of innocent kids counting on Congress to do its job”, he said. |
| McCain was much sharper in his criticism of Trump, calling his decision an “unacceptable reversal of the promises and opportunities that have been conferred to these individuals” and questioning the timing of the announcement. | McCain was much sharper in his criticism of Trump, calling his decision an “unacceptable reversal of the promises and opportunities that have been conferred to these individuals” and questioning the timing of the announcement. |
| “The federal government has a responsibility to defend and secure our borders,” McCain said, “but we must do so in a way that upholds all that is decent and exceptional about our nation. I will be working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to devise and pass comprehensive immigration reform, which will include the Dream Act.” | “The federal government has a responsibility to defend and secure our borders,” McCain said, “but we must do so in a way that upholds all that is decent and exceptional about our nation. I will be working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to devise and pass comprehensive immigration reform, which will include the Dream Act.” |
| Other top Republicans were skeptical. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, chairman of the Senate judiciary committee, told reporters: “The bottom line of it is, I don’t think Daca as a clean bill can get through the Congress by itself.” | Other top Republicans were skeptical. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, chairman of the Senate judiciary committee, told reporters: “The bottom line of it is, I don’t think Daca as a clean bill can get through the Congress by itself.” |
| The Florida senator Marco Rubio, a co-author of the 2013 bill, said: “We have no time to waste on ideas that do not have the votes to pass or that the president won’t sign,” he said. | The Florida senator Marco Rubio, a co-author of the 2013 bill, said: “We have no time to waste on ideas that do not have the votes to pass or that the president won’t sign,” he said. |
| In remarks on the Senate floor late on Tuesday, the majority leader, Mitch McConnell, laid out legislative priorities. He made no mention of Trump’s decision on Daca. | In remarks on the Senate floor late on Tuesday, the majority leader, Mitch McConnell, laid out legislative priorities. He made no mention of Trump’s decision on Daca. |
| The Kentuckian had expressed support for Trump’s move in a written statement which said only that Congress “will continue working on securing our border and ensuring a lawful system of immigration that works”. | The Kentuckian had expressed support for Trump’s move in a written statement which said only that Congress “will continue working on securing our border and ensuring a lawful system of immigration that works”. |
| Among business leaders, Microsoft’s president, Brad Smith, urged congressional leaders to treat a Daca replacement as a priority. | Among business leaders, Microsoft’s president, Brad Smith, urged congressional leaders to treat a Daca replacement as a priority. |
| “There is nothing that we will be pushing on more strongly for Congress to act on,” he told NPR. “The entire business community cares about a tax reform [bill]. And yet it is very clear today a tax reform bill needs to be set aside until the Dreamers are taken care of. | “There is nothing that we will be pushing on more strongly for Congress to act on,” he told NPR. “The entire business community cares about a tax reform [bill]. And yet it is very clear today a tax reform bill needs to be set aside until the Dreamers are taken care of. |
| “They have a deadline that expires in six months,” he said. “Tax reform can wait.” | “They have a deadline that expires in six months,” he said. “Tax reform can wait.” |
| Chuck Schumer, the Senate minority leader, declared in a floor speech: “Congress now has an ability and obligation to act … Democrats will do everything we can to prevent President Trump’s terribly wrong order from becoming reality.” | Chuck Schumer, the Senate minority leader, declared in a floor speech: “Congress now has an ability and obligation to act … Democrats will do everything we can to prevent President Trump’s terribly wrong order from becoming reality.” |
| Democrats, near uniform in their support for Dream Act-style legislation, appeared to rule out tying the status of Daca recipients to funding for a wall along the US-Mexico border. | Democrats, near uniform in their support for Dream Act-style legislation, appeared to rule out tying the status of Daca recipients to funding for a wall along the US-Mexico border. |
| “I think the wall is a non-starter,” Durbin told reporters. Standing alongside him, Graham appealed to Trump to match his sympathetic words with action. | “I think the wall is a non-starter,” Durbin told reporters. Standing alongside him, Graham appealed to Trump to match his sympathetic words with action. |
| “Get involved personally,” Graham said. “Work the phones. Try to find a consensus here. You talk very glowingly about these kids. Help us.” | “Get involved personally,” Graham said. “Work the phones. Try to find a consensus here. You talk very glowingly about these kids. Help us.” |