WASHINGTON (AP) — Senators of both parties pledged Tuesday to work toward a solution for “Dreamers” after President Donald Trump announced plans to end a program protecting the young immigrants brought illegally to this country as kids.
And as the Senate opened its first hearing on the issue since Trump made his announcement last month, an administration official asserted that “Dreamers” are good for the country, and that Trump would like Congress to find a solution allowing them lawful permanent residence in the United States.
“They are a benefit to this country,” testified Michael Dougherty, an assistant secretary at the Department of Homeland Security. “They are a valuable contribution to our society.”
But highlighting the challenges ahead, the Senate Judiciary Committee featured Republicans demanding increased border security as part of any deal, while Democrats focused on the plight of the nearly 800,000 “Dreamers” themselves. These immigrants received temporary work permits and deportation protections under an Obama administration program, but now face a frighteningly uncertain future.
When Trump announced last month he was ending the program called DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals), he gave Congress six months to come up with a solution. If there is no action by March, the immigrants’ work permits will begin to expire and they will become subject to deportation, administration officials said as dozens of Dreamers wearing orange shirts watched from the audience.
“Creating a legislative fix is the right thing to do, but there’s a big caveat,” said Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, who was among a small group of GOP lawmakers focused on the issue who dined with Trump at the White House Monday night.
“Before we provide legal status to these young people we must reassure and actually regain the public confidence that we’re serious when it comes to enforcing the law and securing our border,” Cornyn said.
Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein, whose home state of California is home to large numbers of “Dreamers,” countered that “These youths should not be political footballs.”
“These young people have put their trust in the federal government and they have done everything asked of them. They are counting on us to put aside partisanship and find a solution to this problem,” she said.
Congress’ Democratic leaders, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of California and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, announced a deal with Trump a couple weeks ago to enshrine the DACA protections in law, while separately addressing the issue of Trump’s promised border wall. But the terms of the deal quickly came into dispute with Republicans denying there was one at all.
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley of Iowa opened the hearing saying that the program created by President Barack Obama was unconstitutional. He said a plan “has to include robust border security, and by that, I don’t mean a wall.”