As Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Lindsey Graham (R[?]-SC) rush to make Obama’s Dreamer executive order (EO) law, cat fights are erupting on Twitter regarding immigration and Trump’s intentions in this regard.
In 2010, the DREAM Act failed in the Senate, so Obama picked up his pen and his phone and, by EO, made it happen. Now, Republicans are working again with Democrats to revive the failed bill . . . they hope before Obama leaves office, though this is highly unlikely.
Democratic and Republican members of the Senate Judiciary Committee are working on legislation that would limit deportations if President-elect Donald Trump repeals President Obama’s executive orders on illegal immigration.Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (Ill.) and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), both members of the panel, are crafting a bill to shield children living in the country illegally from being deported if they grew up in the United States and have stayed out of trouble.The bill is likely to have the support of another Republican on the committee, Sen. Jeff Flake (Ariz.). He was a member of the so-called Gang of Eight that put together the comprehensive immigration reform bill that passed the Senate in 2013.Trump has vowed to repeal Obama’s executive orders that halted deportations for people who came to the country illegally at a young age, as well as deportations of the parents of citizens and lawful permanent residents.Lawmakers are worried that rescinding those orders would pull the rug out from hundreds of thousands of young people whose parents immigrated to the country illegally. Many of them may have to drop out of school, lose their jobs or face deportation.
The problem with the EO, they claim, was that it bypassed Congress, so making it the law of the land via Congress will correct the problem.
Apparently, they aren’t concerned with why it failed in the first place. Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL), at the time, summed it up: “This is an amnesty bill because it provides every possible benefit, including citizenship, to those who are in the country illegally.”
Never mind all that, though.
The Hill continues:
Graham and Flake predict more Republicans will sign onto the bill as the issue gains more public attention.“I think we’ll have a lot — I think if President Trump says this is a good solution to a hard problem,” he said. “Here’s what you got to ask Republicans and Democrats: What do you do with these kids?”Graham and Flake say the main objection Republicans had with Obama’s executive orders was that he circumvented Congress. By passing legislation, the problem would be handled in a constitutional way, they argue.
Meanwhile, Vice President-elect Mike Pence states that he is working with Paul Ryan (R-WI) and Mitch McConnell (R-KY ) on immigration and gives a few people on the right pause.
PENCE: I think what the American people know they have in President-elect Donald Trump is someone who speaks straight from his mind and straight from his heart. And on the issue of illegal immigration, I promise you, as we were meeting yesterday on Capitol Hill with leaders of the House and Senate, we’re going to go straight to work after this Congress convenes and this administration takes office. And we’re going to pass policies that will end illegal immigration in this country.PELLEY: But he made these promises. And now, he’s reversed himself. And I wonder, what does that tell us about Donald Trump?PENCE: Well, I think, I think what it tells you about Donald Trump, in both cases, that he’s always going to tell the American people where he stands. And, make no mistake about it. There’s… there’s been no change in the policy about ending illegal immigration in this country.PELLEY: The speaker of the House told us today that, when it comes to deporting 11 million illegal immigrants, it’s not going to happen, and he won’t fund it.PENCE: I promise you that, that we’re going to get a tremendous amount of support, from members on Capitol Hill for border security, for strengthening internal enforcement, expanding our border agents, expanding Immigration and Customs Enforcement, identifying and prioritizing, the removal from this country of criminal illegal aliens, those who’ve overstayed their visas. I’m very confident that we’ll have broad-based support in the Congress for what the president-elect outlined in the course of his campaign. And we’re going to work every day to make sure that we advance those policies and end illegal immigration once and for all.
This exchange made a few people rather uncomfortable.
Ann Coulter’s tweet elicited a rather startling barrage of tweets in response from Bill Mitchell.
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