President Trump has eased off in his bid to deport immigrant children known as ‘Dreamers’, but has stated that he expects compromises on immigration law from Congress in return.
The President stated that “it would be wonderful to solve the DACA problem.” However, he reiterated his desire for Congress to build a border wall with Mexico and clamp down on illegal immigration, including preventing Dreamers from gaining US citizenship.
Trump had previously suggested that so-called ‘Dreamers’, the undocumented children of migrants, would face deportation in his clamp down on illegal immigration. The policy, known as DACA, offers temporary protection to around 800,000 children of undocumented migrants currently residing in the US.
An extended amnesty was implemented by Barack Obama in 2014, with the intention to offer the Dreamers full citizenship. However, a series of legal challenges by 24 Republican states had put these plans on permanent hiatus, and put the policy in danger of losing funding.
Trump however sees an impetus on both sides of the political divide for keeping DACA as it is. He has particularly cited those Dreamers who have contributed to the US military, and has acknowledged the strenuous nature of the existing immigration process.
Despite positive meetings between Trump and leading Democrats last month, the President’s new demands have been derided by some of his Washington rivals. Many Democrats dismiss the need for a border wall with Mexico, and want to see DACA implemented fully.
Congress has failed to implement most of trump’s keystone policies so far, but will need to act swiftly on DACA. Government funding for the scheme ticks over on December 8th, and DACA work permits will start expiring from March 2018.
Trump’s immigration crackdown has been broadly targeted at individuals who came to the US illegally, with no change to schemes like the EB-5 investment visa. However, his willingness to change his approach on immigration should be good news for any migrants who wish to make an economic contribution to the US.
At the very least, the POTUS’ broader policy platform and image do not seem to have negatively affected America’s economic growth. Figures for 2017 so far are extremely promising, with wages rising and unemployment falling to record lows.
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