President Trump will likely receive a lot of flak for his efforts, however, I applaud him for looking for a bi-partisan solution.
President Donald Trump is coming under fire for seeking out democrats and bipartisan support to shield Dreamers and to finally provide them with genuine, codified legal protection. Breitbart has slammed the President as “Amnesty Don”, while Congressman Steve King (Republican-Iowa) has labeled the deal a “betrayal” of his base. Somehow, the deal has “blown up”, irreparably, the President’s core supporters.
The biggest problem with the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals was its questionable legal status.
However, I believe that the President is being pragmatically prudent, even if such a deal is politically unsavory. President Trump swept into office promising to cut deals, but only in recent weeks has the President been able to deliver some genuine deals. Now that President Trump is starting to embrace bi-partisan negotiations, America might finally have a chance to see what the “art of the deal” in politics might actually look like.
The biggest problem with the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals was its questionable legal status. Immigration and residency has traditionally be handled by, or at least sanctioned by Congress. DACA, however, was an Executive order undertaken by former President Obama and his administration without Congressional support. Obama only chose this route after he failed to drum up support in Congress to put a similar policy directly into law.
Where Obama failed, President Trump may be able to succeed.
Where Obama failed, President Trump may be able to succeed. With the Republican-controlled Congress failing to get much done, Trump is showing an increasing willingness to reach out across the aisle. Trump is drawing the wraith of some Conservatives and establishment Republicans, but at the end of the day, if this is what it takes to get things done and to cut deals, the President is wise to seek out bipartisanship.
@RealDonaldTrump If AP is correct, Trump base is blown up, destroyed, irreparable, and disillusioned beyond repair. No promise is credible. https://t.co/uJjxk6uX5g
— Steve King (@SteveKingIA) September 14, 2017
Many “dreamers” have lived in the United States for their entire conscious lives. Many have been here since they were babies, and in many cases, they have never even traveled to their birth country. Some don’t speak Spanish or any other language natively, except for English. Culturally, they are as American as the rest of us.
Most dreamers have been educated in our school system, and have been members of American society for their entire lives. They know nothing but the United States. Perhaps their parents deserve blame for illegally entering the United States, but most Dreamers are here not by any illegal choice of their own. And while it’s easy to say “deport them”, I prefer the path of empathy.
Many dreamers report having no knowledge of their illegal status until applying for college or a driver’s license. Imagine if you woke up one day, living your life as you have every day, and you suddenly find out that you’re not a legal citizen. Mind you, you didn’t enter the United States illegally of your own freewill, instead your parents did while you were a baby or small child. Quite simply, you were just going along for the ride.
Most Dreamers want to secure the same American dream as the rest of us, and they are American in every sense except the legal sense.
What if you found out that your citizenship was in Germany, China, Russia, or South Africa? What if you have never even been to these countries, don’t have any close friends or family there, and don’t understand the local culture, or perhaps the language? Suddenly, you’re at risk of losing everything. Your family, friends, culture, and society. For many Dreamers, this story is very real and strikes close to home.
When I think of dreamers, I try to put myself in their shoes. Most Dreamers want to secure the same American dream as the rest of us, and they are American in every sense except the legal sense. They are not criminals, but instead people looking to secure an education or serve in our military. Personally, I believe they should be embraced rather than shunned.
President Trump is joining a long line of Presidents in pushing for immigration reform. President Reagan, to some infamy, granted amnesty to nearly 3 million illegal immigrants. Reagan famously declared “”I believe in the idea of amnesty for those who have put down roots and lived here, even though sometime back they may have entered illegally.” For dreamers, they didn’t just lay down roots in the United States, they often know nothing but America.
George W. Bush supported the “Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007” bill. While the bill failed to gain traction in Congress, many of its elements were later incorporated into President Obama’s DACA program. Now, Trump stands a chance to bring this full circle and to follow in the footsteps of Reagan. Under Trump, Dreamers might not “just” be tolerated, but may also be granted genuine, codified legal protection.
President Trump will likely receive a lot of flak for his efforts, however, I applaud him for looking for a bi-partisan solution.
