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“He said that Dreamers have nothing to worry about, that he supported DACA recipients, then rescinded the DACA program, then said that he had a deal with the Democrats and Republicans, and then all that fell through,” he said.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."
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The Florence Project says they’ll continue to represent the migrant children as long as they can. And, the groups that could be getting those contracts instead are raising eyebrows. -
Appointed by George W. Bush, Judge Richard Leon in D.C. ruled last week that granting an injunction is “unwarranted” — writing he expects the U.S. Department of Homeland Security will “follow through on its guarantees of consultation.” -
Humane Borders maintains water stations in Arizona’s vast desert borderland and also works with the Pima County Medical Examiner’s Office to document migrant deaths. -
The tool, originally reported by Axios, uses data from a July spending report that shows Congress or other federal agencies have put more than $268 billion in federal funds toward powering the Trump administration’s deportation agenda until 2029. -
Andrés Manuel López Beltrán says the revocation of his U.S. visa was politically motivated.
