Senate Dems: Don't use 'Dreamer' information to deport them
Senate Democrats want to block President Trump from using personal information collected under an Obama-era program to round up and deport some immigrants.
Eight Democrats — led by Sen. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico — are introducing legislation to prohibit the Trump administration from using information collected under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program to target undocumented immigrants.
"The Trump Administration now threatens to use this information against them to break families apart, deport these students or their families, and enact anti-immigrant policies that are contrary to American values,” Heinrich said.
He argued Trump should be focused on coming up with comprehensive immigration reform, rather than pursuing his campaign pledge to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.
The legislation would prohibit John Kelly, the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, from disclosing information an undocumented immigrant provided to sign up for DACA to either the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or U.S. Customs and Border Protection unless the two agencies will use it to implement the DACA program.
Kelly would also be prohibited by the legislation from referring any undocumented immigrant who has had their deportation case deferred because of DACA to ICE, Customs and Border Protection or the Department of Justice.
The DACA program — which has faced a lengthy legal battle — provides people living in the U.S. illegally who arrived as children with work authorization and a temporary halt on deportation if they meet certain requirements.
The legislation would provide a loophole for Kelly, allowing him to hand over information for any undocumented immigrants tied to fraudulent claims, for "particularized national security purposes" or to investigate felony cases not related to their immigration status.
Trump signed executive orders earlier Wednesday to pave the way for a building a border along the southern border, as well as cracking down on "sanctuary" cities that don't comply with federal immigration laws.
Democrats, however, quickly blasted the policy, with Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) arguing that building a wall will put "fear in our hearts [and] will not move this nation forward."
Trump touted his executive orders during a stop at the DHS on Wednesday, saying, "I'm very happy about it and you're very happy about it."
"From here on out, I'm asking all of you to enforce the laws of the United States of America," he said.
Durbin and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) introduced legislation earlier this year offering legal protection for undocumented immigrants brought into the country as children if Trump nixes the executive order issued by Obama.
Trump took a hardline stance on immigration during his campaign, pledging to deport roughly 11 million undocumented immigrants currently in the country.
But he appeared to soften his immigration stance last month, pledging to "work something out" for people who were brought into the country illegally as children.
Source:
The Hill
