New DACA deal remains in limbo
President blames Democrats for lack of participation
WASHINGTON — Deadlocked with Congress on an immigration issue that both parties say they support, President Donald Trump hasgoneontheattack,blaming Democrats and further dimming the chances of agreement before November’s elections to protect socalled Dreamers from deportation.
In a speech to Latino business leaders on Wednesday, Trump said he wants to sign a law replacing the Obama-era program — Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA — to allow up to 1.8 million young immigrants who are in the country illegally to stay, get work permits, attend college or serve in the military. The problem, he said, is Democrats.
“They’re nowhere to be found. It’s really terrible,” Trump said, while Republicans are “ready, willing and able.”
He urged the audience: “Go get DACA. Go push those Democrats. I’m telling you it’s lost. So this is a moment for DACA, for all of us.”
The president’s comments came in a week when the program was supposed to end, by his order of last September, and after he rejected bipartisan Senate legislation to replace it last month.
Court decisions have temporarily kept the program partially operating, in the meantime, requiring the administration to continue renewing the two-year protections indefinitely for people already approved for DACA permits. That was unchanged by a third court ruling this week in the president’s favor.
The two earlier federal court decisions also removed the urgency for Congress and the White House to act on a substitute program, according to lawmakers from both parties.
“While I’m glad that DACA recipients have a little bit more time, for some, that urgency is no longer there,” said Rep. Mario Diaz-balart, a Republican from Florida who has worked on previous immigration bills.
Similarly, Sen. Roy Blunt of Missouri, a member of the Republican leadership, said on Wednesday: “Some of the time pressure has gone off DACA, but if you’re a DACA kid, you’re a DACA young adult, you still feel that pressure, I’m sure.”
It is a problem “we ought to solve,” Blunt said. “There is an ongoing discussion, but I don’t think there’s a bipartisan solution.”