President Donald Trump is expected to sign an order, as early as Friday, to end Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), an Obama-era immigration program that allows immigrants brought to the country illegally as children to remain in the U.S. temporarily.
BREAKING NEWS: Fox News has learned @POTUS will end “#DACA” program as it currently exists. pic.twitter.com/pnZUhyTQZ1
— Fox News (@FoxNews) August 31, 2017
White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders denied the veracity of the Fox News report during a Wednesday afternoon press conference in which she maintained that no final decision had been made regarding the program.
Trump is expected to allow the roughly 800,000 immigrants affected remain in the U.S. legally until their current work visas expire, McClatchy reports. Implemented through executive order in 2012, the program does not offer a path to citizenship, but protects immigrants from deportation and provides them with temporary two year work permits. Only immigrants who arrived in the U.S. before 2007 and were under the age of 15 upon arrival are eligible for the program.
Trump campaigned on ending the program, but since taking office, he has faced substantial pushback from Democrats and even some moderate Republicans, who argue rolling back the policy would break up families and unjustly punish people who were brought to the U.S. illegally by no fault of their own.
Despite campaigning on tougher immigration policy, Trump signaled he might allow the program to continue during a January interview with ABC News.
“They shouldn’t be very worried,” Trump said of the “Dreamers” in the program. “I do have a big heart.”
Immigration hawks, like Attorney General Jeff Sessions, have called for the program’s repeal, arguing it is an unconstitutional measure that rewards illegal immigrants. A coalition of conservative state attorneys general, led by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, threatened to sue the Justice Department if the administration fails to end the program by Sept. 5.
It is a sad day in America. @realDonaldTrump will end #DACA.
— Rep. Lou Correa (@RepLouCorrea) August 31, 2017
I will #DefendDACA because #DREAMers make #CD1 a better place to live. @POTUS promised compassion, but now he’s turning his back on #DACA. pic.twitter.com/wsndZJurgJ
— Dina Titus (@repdinatitus) August 31, 2017
We cannot let @RealDonaldTrump tear apart families and harm our economy by ending #DACA. RT if you agree: We must #DefendDACA. pic.twitter.com/R7Cj9UVqy6
— Senator Jeff Merkley (@SenJeffMerkley) August 31, 2017
#Dreamers, I’ll always stand with you. We’re in this together. Never stop chasing your goals and keep making your voices heard! #SaveDACA
— Sen Dianne Feinstein (@SenFeinstein) August 31, 2017
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