Our “Political Insiders” say they disagree with President Donald Trump’s decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals or DACA program.
The policy shielded some children of undocumented immigrants from deportation. Trump announced last week he was ending the Obama-era program, with a six-month delay to give Congress time to address immigration policy before DACA expires in March.
Our “Political Insiders” and readers say Trump made the wrong move to end DACA.
- 64% of the Republicans on our panel disagree with Trump’s decision.
- 96% of the Democrats who responded do not agree with the president on DACA.
- 76% of our readers also oppose the president’s decision to terminate the DACA program.
After deciding to end DACA, Trump seemed to have a change of heart. He tweeted (at the behest of House Minority Leader) Nancy Pelosi that Americans affected by DACA “have nothing to worry about” as no actions would be taken against them before March. He also said if Congress was unable to find a solution by the March deadline, he might have to reconsider his decision.
There’s also not much confidence from our panel that Congress will be able to fix DACA before March.
- 53% of our Republican “Insiders” said Congress WOULD be able to pass some immigration reform before March.
- 60% of the Democrats who are part of our group said Congress would fail to address immigration before the March deadline.
- 80% of our readers also said they thought Congress would be unable to pass an immigration reform measure before DACA ends.
Selected anonymous comments:
This decision is heartless. I understand the constitutional argument. And I could even respect the decision if Mr. Trump were making it for principled constitutional reasons. But he is not. He is making this decision to appease his base and hoping Congress will do what it should have done a long time ago. One could argue that Mr. Trump has made a supportable constitutional decision, but such argument ignores the very real human element here. The fact that Mr. Trump is gambling with young people’s lives. Their security. Their futures. I do not respect that decision. Not at all. There were better ways to handle this–even within the confines of the constitution–than using human beings as leverage in a political game.
Thank God for President Trump! Finally a real President following common sense and the laws of our land.
Look, as disgusting as it is, Trump fed his base some raw meat but he’s shrewdly given himself some cover with the 6-month delay. He’s got Congress right where he (and we) wants them!
If not, serious repercussions for Republicans in 2018.
It’s time. No more partisanship or passing the buck. Let’s fix immigration once and for all.
Both the President and Congress are set on making sure that America is no longer the land of opportunity – unless you happen to be wealthy, white, and male.
Initially, I was 100% against his decision. As presented this morning I am now only 95% against it. At least he gave a window of opportunity for Congress to act. Now let’s see if they are capable of such action.
Congress do something? Yeah right.
Trump will play to his base, and Congress will remain impotent. Sad.
This is s horrible & cruel decision that will have repercussions for the Republican Party next year and beyond.
Congress pass something? What are you smoking?
Interesting. President Trump likes to attack Congress but hides behind them when making controversial decisions.
I strongly disagree with getting rid of DACA because I feel it is motivated by racism. I see no justification for Trump’s actions to eliminate it.
This is the meanest thing DJT has done so far.
With this move, Trump will initiate a civil war within the Republican Party. This move will result in it political casualties, and further fracture an already divided Republican Party in Congress. Welcome to the fun-filled world of Delirious Donald!
I’m going to be hopeful that Congress gets their act together.
I hope that Congress can pass meaningful reform before March. What Trump has proposed is the most despicable act, so far, of his administration. People who have the protection of DACA are innocent, tax-paying, contributing members of the U.S. We need them.
The President’s decision once again demonstrates his failure of leadership. No Court has ruled DACA unconstitutional although lawyers and law professors dispute the issue. But either way, the President failed to put forward a policy or legislation that represents his views. It’s the same failure he made with healthcare. Where Congress is splintered, leadership from the President is critical. But Trump can’t provide leadership because he doesn’t understand the issues or because he is unwilling to attach his name to policies that are likely to be hugely unpopular with either his base or the American people. DACA was apparently working and ending it without an alternative is cruel and lazy.
Trump is systemically dismantling anything, and everything that this country stands for and Congress is smiling all along the way.
Ending DACA is about as un-American as it gets.
Trump is forcing the hand of Congress to get immigration reform done. Hope it works.
Congress won’t pass meaningful reform because they don’t care to. Disgusting.
Congress is a bigger mess than President Trump. Wow, did I just say that?
Based on the past ten years, Congress won’t be able to get anything meaningful passed by then on DACA.
They better. It’s unfortunate they can’t be on the same page as President Trump. Do your job or We the People will vote you out! We are watching.
Trump and many in congress want concessions on border security from Democrats and increased limits on legal immigration as part of the deal.
Why do we reward illegal immigrants and their kids while we make legal immigration so damn difficult?
Congress would be hard pressed to come up with a policy that improved on DACA. It got people to come forward out of the shadows and register. It monitors them to make sure they are employed or in school. It makes them subject to deportation if they commit a serious crime or fail to live up to the requirements of the program. It has, by all measures, been a resounding success. If congress wants to “fix it” they could alter it to make successful compliance with the program a path to citizenship, but that is not going to happen.
Congress is so broken it’s probably impossible for them to pass even a no-brainer like this.
Congress couldn’t find their way out of a paper bag if both ends were open.
Our problem in Utah and America is that we don’t have enough qualified workers to fill the available jobs. The comment that these people will take away jobs from Americans is flat out wrong. Why would we want these people to leave after we have paid to educate them? Our economy needs them.
This was a two-year temporary program for people to apply for citizenship. It’s been five years, not many seemed to care until now.
