Trump orders end to ‘dreamers’ programme
WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump began dismantling Barack Obama’s programme protecting hundreds of thousands of young immigrants who were brought into the country illegally as children, declaring he loves the “dreamers” who could face deportation but insisting it’s up to Congress, not him, to address their plight.
Trump didn’t specify on Tuesday what he wanted done, essentially sending a six-month time bomb to his fellow Republicans in Congress who have no consensus on how to defuse it.
On Twitter on Tuesday night, he wrote: “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!”
The president tried to have it both ways with his compromise plan: fulfilling his campaign promise to eliminate the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals programme, or DACA, while at the same time showing compassion for those who would lose deportation protection and the ability to work legally in the US.
New applications will be rejected and the programme will be formally rescinded, but the administration will continue to renew existing two-year work permits for the next six months, giving Congress time to act.
“I have a love for these people and hopefully now Congress will be able to help them and do it properly,” Trump told reporters.
Yet at the same time, the White House distributed talking points to members of Congress that included a dark warning: “The Department of Homeland Security urges DACA recipients to use the time remaining on their work authorisations to prepare for and arrange their departure from the United States.” — AP