Thread: Trump Puts Repeal of Obama Amnesty on Backburner

Trump Puts Repeal of Obama Amnesty on Backburner



Posted By Jim Stinson On February 22, 2017



As the White House prepares new efforts to beef up border enforcement and deportations, the administration will try to strategically cut around those protected by an executive amnesty that former President Barack Obama issued in 2012.




New enforcement memos, issued Tuesday by the Department of Homeland Security, broaden the powers that federal officials have to remove illegal aliens. The memos clarify an earlier executive order issued by President Donald Trump.




“President Trump has a big wish list on the immigration platter … [DACA] would probably be a very good bargaining chip for Trump to use.”




While Obama targeted for removal the illegal aliens convicted of serious offenses, the new policy supported by Trump will have federal agents deport anyone convicted of any criminal offense, according to the New York Times.



The memos are already bringing howls from the Left. And the memos are likely to help Trump get control of border agents who are not following all of the new policies he has implemented. Homeland Security said on Tuesday that it wanted 5,000 new border patrol agents and an end to catch-and-release.




Yet this tougher policy spares one large and somewhat influential block from the more vigorous enforcement: illegal immigrants who have been covered by Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, Obama’s 2012 amnesty for people ages 31 and under who were brought to the United States as children.





Despite promises on the campaign trail last year to end DACA and Deferred Action for Parents of Americans (DAPA), Trump has recently backtracked on the executive orders.



DAPA has been frozen in court for two years, but because DACA is still active, about 800 illegal immigrants are applying for coverage every day. DACA coverage gets the young aliens new or renewed work permits, and allows them driver's licenses. The coverage is good for two years.



Sean Spicer, Trump's press secretary, would only say at Tuesday's press briefing that the order will not apply to DACA recipients.




Trump not revoking DACA within his first week in January surprised some of his biggest supporters from the ranks of those who have fought for curbs on illegal immigration for decades.




Mark Krikorian, director of the Center for Immigration Studies, said in a Jan. 23 blog post that "if the Trump administration just continues to issue work permits to illegal aliens as though the election never happened, not only is it an in-your-face betrayal, it also weakens congressional Republicans' bargaining position."



Other immigration watchdogs believe Trump is using DACA as a bargaining chip in a wider scheme to strike a "grand bargain" on immigration with Congress. While both chambers of Congress are controlled by Republicans, major changes to immigration laws could be scuttled by Democratic senators using the filibuster.



To advance a major compromise on immigration and possibly the border wall, Trump could trade DACA for concessions on immigration, some watchdogs theorize.



"Let's face it," said Dave Ray, director of communications for the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR). "President Trump has a big wish list on the immigration platter ... [DACA] would probably be a very good bargaining chip for Trump to use. Hopefully, he won't overplay his hand."



But the watchdogs maintain even in a compromise, DACA and DAPA likely have to be dissolved. The executive order is unconstitutional, they say. Even Trump called it unlawful, at a campaign rally last year in Phoenix.



"DACA was unconstitutional in the first place and should be allowed to lapse," said Ray. "While [DACA recipients] should not be a priority for enforcement, they should not be exempt from enforcement."



Still, the political optics of deporting young people, some of whom have been here since they were infants, back to nations they do not know, appears to have the president nervous.



Speaking to the press at his first solo news conference on Thursday, Trump was asked about DACA.




"We’re going to show great heart," Trump told reporters. "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 because you have these incredible kids.




In many cases, not in all cases. And some of the cases, having DACA and they’re gang members and they’re drug dealers too. 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."




But the apparent softening is not to say there aren't officials concerned with the president's pledge within the White House.




The Los Angeles Times reports Trump aides are working on a way to phase DACA out without a high-profile action on the part of Trump. In a Thursday story, the Los Angeles Times says one option is to direct Attorney General Jeff Sessions to have Department of Justice lawyers to review the program.




"If the Justice Department determines that DACA is not legal or is no longer a responsible use of prosecutorial discretion, the Department of Homeland Security would be instructed to stop awarding and renewing work permits," the Los Angeles Times found.




Still, Trump is likely to be blamed for Sessions' actions. Another option would be for states to sue over DACA, as they did over DAPA. That would likely shift the blame for repealing DACA elsewhere.





URL to article: http://www.lifezette.com/polizette/t...-on-backburner

The Los Angeles Times reports Trump aides are working on a way to phase DACA out without a high-profile action on the part of Trump. In a Thursday story, the Los Angeles Times says one option is to direct Attorney General Jeff Sessions to have Department of Justice lawyers to review the program.

"If the Justice Department determines that DACA is not legal or is no longer a responsible use of prosecutorial discretion, the Department of Homeland Security would be instructed to stop awarding and renewing work permits," the Los Angeles Times found.

Yes, that is the best plan. Hurry Up, DOJ!! Complete the review, issue the opinion, forward to Kelly and Kelly will change the directive memo to comply with the law. BOOM!!

I personally do not like those against illegal immigration seeing any good to come from using DACA as a "bargaining chip." Bargain with who, democrats and republicans who will not accept a small number of illegal aliens getting amnesty and leaving out family members who are also illegal. The claims of separating families will continue. Democrats will not settle. They need the illegal alien population for a big voting block.

This game playing must end. The President of the United States needs to talk about all of the gifts, the hard earned monies taken from the American people to educate, offer healthcare, other benefits to illegal aliens, effectively stealing from the citizens. He should also tell them all that the polite thing to do is to say thank you and look for opportunities at home or in other countries. Don't fly your country's flag and flaunt your disrespect and hatred.

President Trump, No DACA, No DAPA, No Amnesty. Keep your promise. You, General Kelly, Attorney General Sessions, hop to it.

Originally Posted by Judy

Yes, that is the best plan. Hurry Up, DOJ!! Complete the review, issue the opinion, forward to Kelly and Kelly will change the directive memo to comply with the law. BOOM!!

Judy, I hope it gets done soon, too. As Ann Coulter said last night on Fox with Tucker Carlson, within DACA recipients, "dreamers" are "committing murders and child rapes" among other criminal acts.

I agree 100%, GeorgiaPeach, DACA should not be used as a "bargaining chip". But it needs to canceled in a way and manner that will keep the courts out of it and prevent lawsuits. We do not want this to go to the courts. DOJ, Jeff Sessions, needs to put his best lawyers on this issue, complete a review rapidly, and get the letter off to Secretary Kelly in DHS so he can terminate the Napolitano "directive". Prosecutorial discretion does not in any way shape or form require "2 year work permits" to compete with Americans for jobs.

When have Americans guilty of crimes ever been handed a work permit to validate false innocence simply because prosecutors decided for whatever reason not to pursue formal charges? I've never heard of such a thing.

It's discrimination against American Workers both on its face and through the heart.

Stop handing out these stupid work permits to people who aren't even supposed to be in our country, let alone in our work places and colleges and universities.

HURRY UP DOJ! Put this to bed. Trump, our quarterback, has thrown you the ball, now run with it.

Originally Posted by GeorgiaPeach

Judy, I hope it gets done soon, too. As Ann Coulter said last night on Fox with Tucker Carlson, within DACA recipients, "dreamers" are "committing murders and child rapes" among other criminal acts.

Of course they are and they are also working at jobs that belong to American Workers, they are also taking up seats in our colleges and universities that deprived an American Kid of their college education, they are always breeding US citizens and signing up for welfare to support them, they are also running drugs and committing other crimes on a list a mile long.

DACA must be canceled, but done so in the right way. I love the suggestion that Trump has passed this to DOJ, to render an opinion on legality, which they can pass on to Kelly which would authorize a new directive that ends the program. That doesn't mean they'll be hunted down and deported, it means they'll be out of work places, creating jobs for American Workers, it should also mean that they're out of our colleges and universities, at least our publicly funded ones, it should also mean that while some may not be targets, they no longer have this stupid ridiculous designation of a "DREAMER". What total nonsense! They aren't "DREAMERS" in any special way worth mentioning.

Like Trump said, "we have our own DREAMERS, too" and yes, sir, we do, and those are the people with dreams that matter to US, those are the only ones that count, and those are the ones our federal government has a fundamental obligation to protect and serve.

“President Trump has a big wish list on the immigration platter … [DACA] would probably be a very good bargaining chip for Trump to use.”

No bargains on amnesty. No amnesty, not now, not later, not ever!

Keep your promise, Mr. President, end DACA now!