Thread: In reversal, anti-immigration groups are open to deal to let 800,000 DREAMers stay

In reversal, anti-immigration groups are open to deal to let 800,000 DREAMers stay

Alan Gomez, USA TODAYPublished 8:07 a.m. ET Jan. 8, 2018 | Updated 3:35 p.m. ET Jan. 8, 2018

'Defend Our Immigrant Communities' held a rally on Capitol Hill, with tens of thousands of immigrants, activists, and allies. (Dec. 6) AP


(Photo: Mark Wilson, Getty Images)


As Congress and the White House negotiate a deal to legalize nearly 800,000 undocumented DREAMers brought to the U.S. as children, they aren't facing the usual pressure from hard-line groups lobbying for lower immigration levels.

"Rip off the Band-Aid and give them a green card," said Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies, one of the groups that usually mobilizes against any effort to grant what they call "amnesty" for anyone who entered the country illegally.

Congressional leaders have until March 5 to restore deportation protections and work permits for DREAMers after President Trump ended the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program established by President Barack Obama.

Roy Beck, who has led NumbersUSA for over 20 years and jokes that the organization is known as the "great anti-amnesty organization," said: "We're open to it."

And Ira Mehlman, a spokesman for the Federation for American Immigration Reform, said members of Congress wouldn't face major backlash from his group's supporters if they balance a DACA solution with extensive improvements to immigration enforcement.


"If those things are in place when the DACA recipients get their benefits, I think most of these members would have ample cover," Mehlman said.

Negotiations resume Tuesday at a White House meeting with Trump and congressional leaders. Democrats will likely raise Monday's announcement by the administration to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 200,000 immigrants from El Salvador, which comes after terminating TPS for many immigrants from Haiti, Nicaragua and Sudan.

Why are these groups that want to curb immigration suddenly willing to go along with an "amnesty" deal?

Because of how much they hope to get in return.

Democrats have long advocated legal status for all of the nation's 11 million undocumented immigrants. In exchange, Republicans have pushed for enhancements to border security, immigration enforcement and changes to the legal immigration system.

Now, Democrats are trying to protect just the DACA enrollees, while Republicans continue pushing for nearly all of their demands. Trump added to the GOP demands on Friday by requesting $18 billion over 10 years to reinforce or expand the border wall with Mexico to fulfill his signature campaign promise — though without Mexico paying the tab, as he vowed.

"Democrats are coming to the table with 10% of our agenda, and Republicans are coming back and saying, 'We want 90% of our agenda,'" said Frank Sharry, executive director of America's Voice, an immigration advocacy group.

More: Trump seeks $18 billion to extend border wall over 10 years

More: Each day, 120 'dreamers' lose protection from deportation

More: Congress faces deadline to save DREAMers, which could come to a head this week

Trump ended DACA in September, but gave Congress six months to pass a legislative fix.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer are trying to tie the DACA debate to ongoing negotiations over a spending bill, which must be approved by Jan. 19 to avoid a government shutdown.

They're also trying to pass a DACA fix in a stand-alone bill paired with border security measures.

In recent years, the groups seeking reduced immigration have relied on lobbying, testifying before Congress and grass-roots mobilization efforts to kill any bill in Congress deemed too favorable to immigrants.

They have helped sink repeated efforts to pass the DREAM Act, which would allow undocumented immigrants brought to the country as children to qualify for legal permanent residency and, eventually, U.S. citizenship. And they helped torpedo a bill passed by the Senate in 2013 that would have allowed citizenship for millions of undocumented immigrants in exchange for improvements to immigration enforcement.

Their reasons to accept a DACA deal vary. Krikorian said DACA enrollees are unique because it was not their decision to enter the U.S. illegally. To qualify for DACA, they had to enter the U.S. before their 16th birthday, receive an education or join the military and pass a security background check.

"There's a good case to make that they really are Americans in everything but paperwork," Krikorian said. "They've socialized here, they've studied George Washington as the father of our country and Abraham Lincoln as the president who freed the slaves. They're already acculturated."

Mehlman said this "amnesty" is different because it deals with a much smaller group of people.

The 2013 bill that passed the Senate, but was not even considered by the House of Representatives, would have allowed most of the nation's 11 million undocumented immigrants to become citizens.

"There is a defined universe of people," Mehlman said. "No promises are made beyond that."

The prospect of a lot in return is also key to the groups. In October, the White House issued a long list of demands in exchange for a DACA deal. They include a crackdown on "sanctuary cities" that don't fully comply with federal immigration enforcement efforts, funding for Trump's wall and a requirement that all U.S. business use the E-Verify online system to check the immigration status of job applicants.

Trump has placed great focus on two other demands: ending the diversity program that grants 50,000 visas a year to people from underrepresented countries, and restrictions on how many relatives U.S. citizens can sponsor for visas, which he called "chain migration."

"We're very encouraged by the way the president has been framing this issue," Beck said.

Immigration advocate Sharry said the long list of demands could end up dooming the negotiations and the hopes that DREAMers can stay in the U.S.

"In September, you've got Trump saying, 'Border security for the DREAM Act, a wall can wait until later,'" Sharry said.

"Now you have Trump saying, 'We need to end chain migration, we need to build the wall, we need to get rid of the diversity visa program, we need stronger enforcement. ...'
"They're setting up an unworkable proposal."

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/...ay/1004430001/

NumbersUSA, FAIR,CIS sellout, are open to deal to let 800,000 DREAMers stay

Yeah, I've been telling you this whole idea of a "deal" came from CIS and FAIR, two of the groups named in the article I read about it, they named Mark Krikorian and Ira Fehlman, among other immigration "hawks", I assume Roy Beck or someone from NumbersUSA, who met with the White House and PROPOSED a "deal" on DACA last spring.

Disappointed in those respected by millions of Americans and who know the past and what happens with any amnesty. Any amnesty is amnesty for them all. The democrats will never agree to strengthen enforcement. Republicans in mass are willing to cave.

President Trump is going to look at the wall prototypes. Hopefully he is not going to try to convince us we will get a wall at some point and agree to amnesty.

Why vote republican if they act like democrats and will give our country to the demands of third world foreign citizens.

Sadly, Trump will sign any amnesty deal they put on his desk.

Ask NumbersUSA & FAIR To Stop Supporting Deal on DACA Amnesty for illegals
https://www.alipac.us/f8/ask-numbers...legals-354174/

Trump: Even if I don't love the DACA plan, I'll support it

I can’t prove it. I can not read peoples minds or know why people do what they do. I can only guess. But it would be my guess that the open borders crowd has infiltrated, blackmailed or bribed these organizations. One of the common strategies of the political left is to secretly take over and neutralize organizations opposed to them.

Whatever the reasons may be for these groups to do what they are doing, every patriot who wants to preserve this country needs to withdraw all support for them. They no longer deserve our time or money. Certainly they can no longer be trusted.

What they are doing is misleading Trump into believing he can shove through DACA without loosing significant support from his base. We desperately need to speak with one voice, and look what they do. They divide and weaken us. And they are confusing and weakening the resolve of people who should be fighting with us in the trenches. These groups are doing more damage to our cause then the enemy could ever do alone.

Double down on your support for ALIPAC as it has once again proven it is faithful and unwavering in its fight stop our nation from being obliterated by a mass, unrestricted alien migration. Do what you can to persuade people who have supported those groups to dump them and join ALIPAC and make it the biggest, badist organization in politics.

I am furious and you should be too. Melt down their stinking phone lines. Drive them off of our planet. And never ever visit their web sites or give them money. Back to the phones patriots, you have just gotten more phone calls to make. Get on social media and slam them.

Originally Posted by JohnDoe2

Sadly, Trump will sign any amnesty deal they put on his desk.

If he does, he will be signing his political obituary. I know I speak for millions of his one time supporters. We will never forget, never forgive, never lift a finger to help him again. Like Cesar declaring himself emperor and thus ending republican Rome, Trump signing a bill for DACA will ultimately be the death of our beloved American experiment in free self-government. The only difference will be, under Trump it will take a little longer.

I need to stop writing now before I unleash a torrent of gross profanity that could get me kicked out of ALIPAC.

GOD BLESS YOU EVER FAITHFUL WILLIAM GHEEN AND OUR BELOVED AMERICAN REPUBLIC. Every patriot to the trenches. The battle is nigh.

Originally Posted by GeorgiaPeach

Why vote republican if they act like democrats and will give our country to the demands of third world foreign citizens.

There's going to be a huge backlash against Republicans by their supporters. I honestly can't see them winning another presidency for a very, very long time. They've alienated most of their voters, all to appease Democrats. The Democrats won big time. In the meantime, we're the losers.....his supporters. He sold us out big time.