In her column in today’s Washington Post, Jennifer Rubin calls Trump’s ending of DACA, “Trump’s most evil act.”
Her sentiment is shared by a great number of Americans. In a rare case of unity, both Democrats and Republicans are voicing their opposition to the ending of Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.
But is this criticism valid … or does it miss the point?
President Obama created the DACA program, which exempts children brought to this country illegally by their parents from the enforcement of the immigration laws, through executive order. He was forced to do this after Congress refused to enact such a law.
There has been serious question ever since Obama signed the order as to whether the President had the constitutional authority to do so. After all, our Constitution gives Congress the power over immigration policy.
Prior to today’s action by Trump, Attorneys General from Texas and nine other Republican-led states threatened to sue his administration if it did not rescind the program that grants deportation relief and access to work permits to nearly 800,000 “Dreamers,” or undocumented immigrants brought to the country at a young age.
While everyone may like Obama’s order, which treats the innocent children of illegal immigrants humanely, a valid argument could be made in court that the former president’s action was unconstitutional; that it was a circumvention of the legislative branch.
In rescinding Obama’s order, Trump is now forcing Congress to do its job.
The fact that it is good policy should not “trump” the fact that it, most likely, was bad law.
Trump has given Congress a six-month window to enact a law that would give “Dreamers” the protections afforded by Obama’s executive order.
It is beyond ironic that our current president, who likes to run roughshod over our Constitution, is doing the right thing in protecting the sanctity of the document and reinforcing the separation of powers.
As Trump aptly tweeted today: “Congress, get ready to do your job – DACA!”
Will they finally step up to the plate?
Photo | greensboro.com
Hate to say it but I agree with you! Enshrine the protections into law and not at the whim of an executive order.
Thanks Harriet.
Dreamers should be protected by law, not a challengable executive order. Time for Congress to stop talking and start legislating. Make DACA the law of the land.
Agree. Should not be at the whim of the executive but made into law by Congress.
Too bad the Alt right in congress won’t let this ever reach a desk for signature. What has changed in congress since Obama that makes you think that the GOP will ever tell their base that DACA is good for the country. You are fooling yourself if you think that would happen. All Drumpf did was kick the fan down the road and will then blame congress when he fully rescinds it in six months, assuming he’s still in office.
I think you’re wrong. The Republicans want to enact a DACA type bill … but they will want some concessions from Democrats. What exactly those will be is anyone’s guess. But if no bill is passed to protect dreamers, many Repugs will pay the price at the polls in 2018. Enough, I believe, to swing Congress. And BTW, Trump is already hedging his bet. He tweeted if Congress does not fix the problem in 6 months, he will revisit the issue.