WASHINGTON, D.C. — As discussions at the White House continue on the fate of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), Republican leaders in Congress are urging President Trump today to keep the program in place.
“I don’t think he should do that. I believe this is something Congress has to fix,” said House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wisconsin) today, in answer to a question on whether President Trump should end DACA.
“I’ve urged the president not to rescind DACA, an action that would further complicate a system in serious need of a permanent, legislative solution,” said Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) today. “Like the president, I’ve long advocated for tougher enforcement of our existing immigration laws. But we also need a workable, permanent solution for individuals who entered our country unlawfully as children through no fault of their own and who have built their lives here. And that solution must come from Congress.”
“Over the coming months, I’ll be working closely with my colleagues in Congress and with the administration to pass meaningful immigration reform that will secure our borders, provide a workable path forward for the Dreamer population, and ensure that employers have access to the high-skilled workers they need so succeed in our technology-driven economy,” Hatch continued.
Meanwhile, more than 350 business leaders and entrepreneurs from across the country signed onto a letter urging the president to preserve DACA and calling on Congress to pass permanent legislation for Dreamers.
“We applaud Republican leaders for speaking out to protect DACA recipients,” said Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum. “Their support is indicative of widespread support across the country for a permanent solution to address the situation of our nation’s Dreamers.”