That official called the new plan “a compromise position that we believe… will get 60 votes in the Senate” and was also “a framework that ultimately will lead to passage of a law”, according to multiple reports.
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A one-page memo sent to congressional Republicans Thursday afternoon backs a 10- to 12-year path to citizenship for not just the roughly 700,000 enrolled in the expiring DACA program but for other “DACA-eligible illegal immigrants” who are in the USA illegally and were brought to the country as children.
He is also looking to end two existing immigration programs, one which allows the extended family of those in the country legally to immigrate legally, and the elimination of the visa lottery.
CNN reports that the White House has branded this as a “dramatic concession” that includes a requirement for $25 billion in border wall funding, along with a promised crackdown on illegal immigration.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Trump said he is willing to consider citizenship for undocumented immigrants known as “Dreamers”. This will be a pretty good test of whether Trump truly has any policy influence over Republican members of Congress.
“I get scared and anxious but I have had nothing but support through this”, she said.
Speaking on The New York Times podcast “The Daily”, Schumer said he told the president ahead of a major meeting on immigration: “If you’re going to have Stephen Miller there or somebody like that, it’s not going to work”.
Cruz wouldn’t say if he views the Goodlatte proposal as being a path to citizenship.
“We need a strong border”. The White House estimates that could cover up to 1.8 million people. Another 1 million are likely eligible for DACA but have not applied for it. Trump rescinded the Obama executive order that created DACA in the fall of 2017 but gave Congress six months to legislate a solution. Both Trump and many Republican lawmakers have said they support a bill allowing DACA beneficiaries to stay in the United States.
Anti-immigration activists also assailed the plan, though for the opposite reason. “We’re going to solve the DACA problem”.
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But Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), who is regarded by many as an anti-immigration hardliner, praised the White House’s proposal. To me, the bigger issue isn’t so much that this proposal is draconian, but that it might eliminate too many bargaining chips for a future comprehensive reform.
