What Would A Deal On DACA Look Like?

WAMU 88.5

Published January 4, 2018 at 9:06 AM CST

Immigrants' rights demonstrators march in protest of President Trump's decision on DACA on September 7, 2017 in the Queens borough of New York City. Make the Road New York organized the event in the diverse Jackson Heights neighborhood in support of young immigrants facing deportation who had been shielded by the Obama-era executive order Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), now set to expire in March.

With guest host John Donvan.

As lawmakers get back to work in Washington for 2018, one of the top items on their to-do list is to figure out a solution for recipients of the immigration policy called Deferred Action For Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, which protects undocumented people who were brought to the U.S. illegally as minors from deportation.

Last fall, President Trump decided to phase out the program, which affects an estimated 800,000 people, by March, pressing Congress to act on immigration before that time.

The president says he’s open to talks with Democrats on the issue, but cozy negotiations on immigration across the aisle could alienate Trump’s political base. Is there a resolution that could satisfy Republicans and Democrats — and address the unique needs of DACA recipients and their supporters?

GUESTS

David Bier, Immigration policy analyst, Cato Institute’s Center for Global Liberty and Prosperity; @davidjbier

Mark Krikorian, Executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies; @MarkSKrikorian

Dara Lind, Senior immigration reporter for Vox; @Dlind

Erika Andiola, Co-founder of DREAM Action Coalition; former press secretary to Sen. Bernie Sanders; @ErikaAndiola

Senator Thom Tillis, Republican Senator from North Carolina. He is a co-sponsor of the SUCCEED Act, which would provide a merit-based pathway to citizenship for DACA recipients. He is also a co-sponsor of the SECURE Act, which would provide DACA recipients with work visas in exchange for tougher border protections. @SenThomTillis

For more, visit https://the1a.org.