Threats of mass deportations have dominated the runup to President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration so far. But this weekend, Trump told "Meet the Press" he wanted to help DACA recipients stay in the U.S.
In his first post-election interview, Trump doubled down on enacting mass deportations and said he’d begin with those with criminal histories.
But he also said he would work with Democrats to find a legislative solution to protect recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or Dreamers. Phoenix recipient Jose Patiño says hearing that gave him deja vu to 2017.
“He said that Dreamers have nothing to worry about, that he supported DACA recipients, then rescinded the DACA program, then said that he had a deal with the Democrats and Republicans, and then all that fell through,” he said. “It’s hard to trust that, because his actions have reflected that he’s not really serious about passing bipartisan legislation that would give a pathway to citizenship to Dreamers or DACA recipients.”
Still, Patiño said he hoped this time would be different, so that he and other DACA recipients could work to protect other undocumented people.
The Obama-era DACA program gives temporary protection to some undocumented people brought to the U.S. as kids, but no path to citizenship. Trump’s first attempt to end the program was blocked in the Supreme Court in 2020, but a lawsuit filed by Texas against DACA has prevented new applicants for years.
"As we speak, our communities await a critical decision from the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals that could very well end DACA," United We Dream Senior Political Director Bruna Sollod said in an email statement after Trump's interview. "This lawsuit was brought on by Trump’s own allies in their relentless pursuit to destroy DACA and target our communities. Trump cannot say he wants DACA recipients to remain in the U.S. while actively trying to dismantle programs that allow people to safely stay in the place they call home."
-
Emmanuel Damas, 56, was in the process of seeking asylum after entering the U.S. in 2024 on a humanitarian parole program established under the Biden administration. -
ICE has released a 79-year-old Cuban woman from the Eloy Detention Center, after she spent nine months there. Julia Benitez suffers from dementia and was known inside the detention center as "la abuela," or the grandmother. -
Immigration and Customs Enforcement says agents arrested more than 20 people in a raid in Phoenix this week near 15th and Peoria avenues. -
President Donald Trump on Thursday fired his embattled Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and said he will nominate in her place Oklahoma Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin. -
Emmanuel Damas, 56, complained of a toothache on Feb. 13, his brother said, and almost a week later, he could no longer speak. ICE has not yet acknowledged the death.
