Congress’ spending bill may hinge on undocumented immigrants
Dems insist on safeguards against deportations
The fate of nearly 700,000 undocumented immigrants could blow up negotiations to keep the federal government running past this week. The federal program that protects from deportation undocumented immigrants brought to the USA before age 16 could be a bargaining chip as Congress faces a deadline Friday to pass a spending bill. President Trump said in September that he would end the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program March 5 if Congress didn’t act. Democrats insist that any year-end spending deal must include a solution for those undocumented immigrants, known as DREAMers, so they won’t be deported. Though some Republicans agree, most say the question should be hammered out on its own, since Congress has more than two months before DACA shuts down. DACA protects undocumented immigrants attending school or serving in the military who have not committed any serious crimes. They are granted work permits and deportation protection for two years, which can be renewed. Members of both parties are trying to find a compromise, but a solution is far from certain.
Options to save DREAMers
Members of both parties have filed a variety of bills that could be included in a spending deal. The main difference is how long DREAMers would have to wait before applying for citizenship. Democrats prefer letting DACA enrollees become documented permanent residents able to apply for citizenship after five years. One Republican proposed those in DACA should wait 10 years before they can become citizens, and another GOP lawmaker wants to push the wait time to 15 years. Another option would extend DACA for three years, but that measure would not include a pathway to citizenship for DREAMers.
What do Republicans want?
Republicans have made clear that any DACA proposal needs to be part of a broader deal that gives something to opponents of illegal immigration. The White House released a set of priorities in October that includes funding for a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico, plus more immigration agents, judges and jails. The Trump plan calls for all businesses to use E-Verify, which lets employers screen the immigration status of job applicants. The White House wants to reduce the number of immigrants accepted into the USA, selecting people based on potential economic contributions rather than family relationships to U.S. citizens. Other Republicans have been more lenient. “We all have empathy for these young people, who came to this country through no fault of their own,” said Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Moderate Republicans, including Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., proposed a DACA fix in exchange for $1.6 billion in border security measures. Hard-line immigration groups, such as NumbersUSA, have never endorsed a DACA deal. They want an end to “chain migration” — allowing U.S. citizens to sponsor extended family.
What if Congress does nothing?
If Congress does nothing, the nearly 700,000 DACA enrollees will lose their protections. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has said it would not target former DACA enrollees for arrest and deportation. The agency has arrested a higher percentage of undocumented immigrants without a criminal record since Trump took office.