It was a huge compromise when the President stated he supports legal status and a pathway to citizenship for "dreamer," who are immigrants brought to the USA as children - most now adults and many have been here for years and decades. However, he also wants strong border security and other immigration reforms. I also agree that this should NOT be part of budget bills as with the precedent every pet topic of every member of Congress and every rich person and company who owns members of Congress is reason to do a budget shutdown. Demands to support or condemn Israel, demands to cut or increase money to Planned Parenthood. Given full rights to transgender in regards to bathrooms. Grant Puerto Rico statehood. Anything. A thousand extortion demands against a government shutdown. This is what I agree with President Trump on as stand-alone legislation not part of the budget bill to be passed before the budget re-vote: 1. Immigration reform should NOT be part of the budget bill 2. DACA children (most now adults) should be given legal green card status and clear path to citizenship provided the person does not have any felony conviction. They were children at the time so had no control over their parents bringing them to the USA 3. On "chain migration:" Parents of DACA kids should not be rewards with citizenship for their illegal entry. However, unless a felony conviction should be given permanent green card status unless come to be convicted of a felony. 4. Border security wall, noting that it does not stretch the whole border and mostly just covers under 300 miles of border that even Pelosi and Schumer voted for (fence) - though did not fully fund. "Wall" or "fence" - call it what you like. To claim a border wall or fence does not make border security easier is just dumb. The way it works now without a barrier is armed Border Patrol officers running thru neighborhoods, search people's yards and garages, and trying to peek into people's houses in pursuit. This cat-and-mouse chasing endangers everyone including the illegal migrants and the officers. Fences and walls slow people down, meaning catching them at the border trying to climb or otherwise get past the wall or fence. I don't care if it is called a wall or a fence. 5. End the immigration lottery and return to setting up a quota per country or region as had been done for well over a century. If that were proposed as stand-alone legislation it would pass the House and Senate in a day and the President would sign it the next day. The ONLY changes I would make from the above would be: 1. To give the President only 2/3rds of what has been quoted as the price of the wall, noting his boasting how great it is at negotiating cost-cutting contracts. 2. Crackdown on employers who hire undocumented migrants, ie e-verify. 3. Essentially end H1B VISAs as they are used to undercut wages of Americans with high skills expertise or otherwise undercut American wages and jobs. Anyone in Congress who voted against the above would be lying if they claim they support DACA. What say you?
I respect your position. However, for #3, I strongly believe that people who broke the law should not be rewarded. All sob stories be damned.
No it wasn't. He has stated for quite a while he was in favor of a compassionate solution to DACA. “We’re going to show great heart. DACA is a very, very difficult subject for me. I will tell you. To me, it’s one of the most difficult subjects I have,” Trump said at a press conference in February. “But you have some absolutely incredible kids — I would say mostly. They were brought here in such a way. It’s a very — it’s a very very tough subject. We are going to deal with DACA with heart. I have to deal with a lot of politicians, don’t forget. And I have to convince them that what I’m saying is, is right. And I appreciate your understanding on that,” Trump said. “But the DACA situation is a very very, it’s a very difficult thing for me because you know, I love these kids,” he added. “I love kids. I have kids and grandkids and I find it very, very hard doing what the law says exactly to do.” “They shouldn’t be very worried” “They shouldn’t be very worried,” Trump said in an ABC News interview in Januarywhen asked how his policies would affect the Dreamers. “They are here illegally. They shouldn’t be very worried. I do have a big heart. We’re going to take care of everybody. We’re going to have a very strong border. We’re gonna have a very solid border. Where you have great people that are here that have done a good job, they should be far less worried. We’ll be coming out with policy on that over the next period of four weeks.”
It was a major shift from what he said during the campaign. That is what I meant by compromise, not in talks now over the issue.
I agree in principle, but not reality. In some cities, entire neighborhoods are full of such people. Even if they could all be deported, it would turn those neighborhoods into mini-Detroits - and then grind down the entire greater metropolitan area. So in principle I agree, but in reality there would be harsh consequences that harm us all. My reasoning isn't compassion or sob stories. I don't buy sob stories as there are worse stories on the other side (murder, rape, criminality). Rather, I'm trying to be realistic rather than a decision on a principle detached from the real consequences.
