Time: 11:16 p.m. CEST
The Unites States President Donald Trump gave six months period to Congress to legalize program that enables about 800.000 people to live and work in the U.S.
Trump decided do shut down the program of the former administration, known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. A program, which was one of the marks of the former President, Barack Obama began in 2012 with a opportunity for children brought into America by their parents to obtain legal work permit every two year if they can comply with the American way of living.
“Congress now has six months to legalize DACA, something that Obama administration was unable to do,” Trump tweeted hours after he decided to put the destiny of those people to the Congress.
The United States President Donald Trump decided to repeal the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, created as a program by the administration of the former President Barack Obama. President Trump did not announce the measure himself. Instead, the Attorney General Jeff Session explained the program “has been rescinded,” talking from the Department of Justice.
The announcement on DACA, implemented since 2012 to provide legal status to children brought in America illegally by their parents, provoked many reactions. Former President Obama explained his DACA decision on social media with Facebook post.
As Obama stated, over the years, bipartisan groups have worked together on the legislation for the young people and the possibilities for them to remain and “earn citizenship.” For years, Obama waited and asked Congress to send him such a bill.
“That bill never came. And because it made no sense to expel talented, driven, patriotic young people from the only country they know solely because of the actions of their parents, my administration acted to lift the shadow of deportation from these young people,” Obama stated.
After today’s announcement at the Department of Justice, many DACA protected young people protested in New York City. The protesters shouted loudly, “I am not afraid, I am documented.” Protesters gather at, not only the Trump Tower in NYC, but also in Washington D.C., where they promised, “keep fighting for ‘Dreamers.’”
Trump’s administration decided to grant a period for these young people until Congress find a lawful way for their status. Regardless, the process of shutting down the program started. Attorney General Sessions clearly stated that, “the Department of Justice has advised the President and the Department of Homeland Security that DHS should begin an orderly lawful wind down process, including cancellation of the memo that authorizes this program,” Sessions said.
Shortly after the announcement, Acting Secretary Elaine Duke of the Department of Homeland Security published a statement for the process. Duke explained that in respond to recent litigation, DHS had two options, either the wind the program down in an orderly fashion, which protects “Dreamers” while Congress work to pass the legislation, or allow the judiciary to potentially shut the program down immediately.
What was effect of DACA?
This question also raised debate after Session’s announcement of Trump’s decision. Obama reacted in his Facebook post that these “Dreamers,” called on never-passed proposals in Congress called the DREAM Act for similar protections, are Americans in their hearts, in their minds, in every single way but one: on paper.
“They were brought to this country by their parents, sometimes even as infants. They may not know a country besides ours. They may not even know a language besides English,” Obama stated. Obama called today’s action “contrary to our spirit.”
But, Sessions accused the executive branch through DACA for making something that legislative branch refused to authorize. “Such an open-ended circumvention of immigration laws was unconstitutional exercise of authority by the executive branch.
The effect of this unilateral executive amnesty, among other things contributed to a surge at the southern border that yielded terrible humanitarian consequences,” Sessions talked.
In 2014, about 52.000 unaccompanied children have been apprehended along the Southwest border, but they were not eligible for a protection under DACA program.
Sessions said that DACA protected “recipients for a renewable two-year term work authorization,” used the social security program and took the jobs of thousands of Americans. DHS Acting Secretary Duke went even further, calling the program “never more than parole,” which never promised the rights of citizenship or legal status. Calling it “a bureaucratic delay,” Duke, said DACA, “was a lie that left recipients in two-year circle of uncertainty.”
The acting secretary shared the opinion that believes President Obama had “genuine intentions for DACA and he was frustrated by his inability to maneuver through the legislative process.”
“Secretarial Memo is not a substitute for a law passed by Congress and signed by the president,” Duke said.
Obama was clear in the post. “That bill never came.” Even though, as Obama writes, some 800.000 young people, stepped forward, met rigorous requirements, and “went through background checks.” Obama evaluate this action “contrary to our spirit, and to common sense.
Many in business community, faith leaders, and economists called Trump’s administration not to cut the program.
As they protested on Tuesday, Erica Andiola in a statement to Associated Press said, they are here to show Trump that, “we are not going to be afraid of him, that we are tired of him attacking us.”
The destiny of Dreamers will be in the hands of the Members of Congress to decide on their future.
If Congress acts in the period framed by Trump, the President could sign into legislation, giving the Dreamers legality for a stay in the U.S. Contrary, the program could expire and leave the beneficiaries vulnerable to deportation.
Aleksandra Dukovska 