Posted on 06/29/2017 7:01:13 PM PDT by Mr. Mojo
A group of 10 Republican state attorneys general and one governor are threatening to sue the Trump administration if it does not rescind Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), the Obama executive action that granted amnesty to more than one million undocumented immigrants.
“We respectfully request that the Secretary of Homeland Security phase out the DACA program,” Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton wrote in a letter to Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Thursday.
The letter was signed by nine other attorneys general, as well as Idaho Gov. Butch Otter.
In the letter, the Republicans called on the Trump administration to rescind DACA, which Obama enacted through executive action on June 15, 2012, and to order the Executive Branch to cease issuing and renewing DACA permits in the future.
Earlier this month, Sec. of Homeland Security John Kelly rescinded Obama executive actions implemented in Nov. 2014 that expanded DACA and created a new amnesty initiative, Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Legal Permanent Residents, or DAPA.
But in that memo, dated June 15, Kelly stated that Obama’s original DACA initiative “will remain in effect.”
Under DACA, more than one million undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children are eligible for protection from deportation and work permits.
Paxton asserted that if DAPA and Expanded DACA are “unlawful,” as the Trump administration maintains, then Obama’s original DACA policy is as well.
In the letter, Paxton said that his fellow state attorneys general will voluntarily dismiss a pending lawsuit against the federal government over its amnesty policies if the Trump administration agrees to rescind DACA by Sept. 5.
Otherwise, the attorneys general will modify the lawsuit to include a challenge of DACA.
“The complaint in that case will be amended to challenge both the DACA program and the remaining Expanded DACA permits,” the letter states.
While Trump and Sessions have taken a hard line on illegal immigration, the administration has avoided addressing DACA, much to the chagrin of Trump’s base and in violation of the real estate baron’s campaign promises.
“We will immediately terminate President Obama’s two illegal executive amnesties, in which he defied federal law and the Constitution to give amnesty to approximately 5 million illegal immigrants,” Trump said during the campaign.
Some immigration hardliners have predicted that a lawsuit against DACA may be the only thing that forces Trump to roll back the Obama executive order.
“Is [Trump] going to force us to go back to court again?” Iowa Rep. Steve King, an immigration hawk, asked in an interview in April with The Daily Caller’s Alex Pfeiffer.
Awesome.
“Not that I’m crying here, but where were there yahoos when DACA was illegally enacted by Zero?”
Hmmm, interesting...I guess to put it simply, they didn’t have the stomach for it.
So what’s changed? Trump is now president...but that alone should not change the thinking of these AGs. Perhaps something more is going on, like some of us suspect here - perhaps the fix is in with Trump and Trump will either not fight the suit or put up a token fight. He could not fight it by simply saying that he cannot find anything in federal law that he could stand on.
...and, hopefully, the judge rules for the AGs, and DACA is over - with the judge doing Trump the favor of providing political cover. So it’s quite possible that these AGs were signaled by Trump as to what will be his ‘defense’ (or non-defense) against the suit, and they moved out knowing just what to expect.
Excellent presentation. I’d just add that courts are a crap shoot at best. If Trump wants DACA shut down (but doesn’t want to come out and do that without being ordered), the courts are just as likely to throw it back in his lap.
I just posted almost the same thing! This may well be Trump’s way of ending it, without the huge political fallout that he’d have to endure (from media sob stories). Just let the courts end it, once and for all.
“Excellent presentation. I’d just add that courts are a crap shoot at best. If Trump wants DACA shut down (but doesn’t want to come out and do that without being ordered), the courts are just as likely to throw it back in his lap.”
True - certainly the leftists on the courts already have their ruling written regarding anything Trump-related, so they’ll rule in favor of DACA even if the US Attorney doesn’t show up in the courtroom. But at least there’s a chance we come out on top.
President Trump needs to honor his promise, even at this late date, and rescind Obama’s executive orders and actions giving amnesty to illegal aliens. DO IT MR PRESIDENT!
I disagree with Trump here.
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) is a kind of administrative relief from deportation. The purpose of DACA is to protect eligible immigrant youth who came to the United States when they were children from deportation. DACA gives young undocumented immigrants: 1) protection from deportation, and 2) a work permit. The program expires after two years, subject to renewal.
The eligibility they identify are based on these questions:
You were under 31 years old as of June 15, 2012;
You first came to the United States before your 16th birthday;
You have lived continuously in the United States from June 15, 2007 until the present;
You were physically present in the United States on June 15, 2012 and at the time you apply;
You came to the United States without documents before June 15, 2012, or your lawful status expired as of June 15, 2012;
You are currently studying, or you graduated from high school or earned a certificate of completion of high school or GED, or have been honorably discharged from the Coast Guard or military (technical and trade school completion also qualifies); and
You have NOT been convicted of a felony, certain significant misdemeanors (including a single DUI), or three or more misdemeanors of any kind.
None of these render the question of if you legally were allowed to come into this country. So the term eligible is misleading.
DACA is an illegal way to keep youth not eligible to stay here due to illegal immigration in the country for an indefinite time with renewals of a program that counter supports our laws. It needs to be taken off the books.
rwood
While I support the move by these AG’s, the tough talk from nevertrumper Steven King is hard to take. If this hypocrite had his way, we’d have president Hillary, and then all the law suits in the world wouldn’t have been able to stop her from doing whatever the hell she wanted.
Right. Because President Trump has been dragging his feet on so much up until now. /s
He could end Obama's illegal DACA amnesty with a swipe of his pen today. He promised during the campaign that he would end it. Now all of the sudden he wants to be a George Bush "Compassionate" conservative?
MR. TRUMP: KEEP YOUR PROMISE TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND END OBAMA'S DACA AMNESTY FOR ILLEGAL ALIENS!
They can dream in Mexico.
Absolutely!
Where were these idiots when Obama enacted DACA? They seem more like concern trolls than principled conservatives....funny how none of these “Republicans” had the balls to stand up to Obama but will throw ball bearings in Trump’s path at every opportunity.
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...and, hopefully, the judge rules for the AGs, and DACA is over - with the judge doing Trump the favor of providing political cover. So it’s quite possible that these AGs were signaled by Trump as to what will be his ‘defense’ (or non-defense) against the suit, and they moved out knowing just what to expect
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Good theory but, IMO, runs counter to his latest pronouncement re: Dreamers. Still, I hope youz are correct; it’d kill both birds w/ one stone.
Unfort., that still gives me no comfort on the supposed (R) or (C) of the States whom continue to allow the train of abuses, this being only a sliver. AGs, w/ as much time & $$ as they need to do as they were created: defend and protect We the People and our Rights.
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