Trump tweets he'll revisit "Dreamers" program, conservatives fire back
Just hours after the Trump administration laid the groundwork for what is being called a "wind down" of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, President Trump himself appeared to step back slightly from his promise to terminate the Obama-era program allowing for deferred deportations of those who originally arrived to the United States as young immigrants.
Tweeting late Tuesday after Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the administration's plans to overhaul the immigration law, which would include a 6-month window of adjudication, Mr. Trump wrote, "Congress now has 6 months to legalize DACA (something the Obama administration was unable to do.) If they can't, I will revisit this issue!"
Congress now has 6 months to legalize DACA (something the Obama Administration was unable to do). If they can't, I will revisit this issue!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 6, 2017
The president's tweet appeared to be a more toned-down approach to the immigration policy that Sessions himself called "unconstitutional" and an "overreach" of the executive branch's authority, after Congress initially rejected the legislative proposals to extend similar benefits to illegal immigrants.
That tone also caught the attention of conservative-leaning news outlet Breitbart, led by Mr. Trump's former close adviser Steve Bannon.
The outlet on Tuesday referred to Mr. Trump as a "paper tiger", suggesting the president has talked tough but provided little action on his immigration policies. Breitbart wrote that the president would leave his "America First" base unsatisfied by handling the DACA program the same way the Obama administration did -- by passing the responsibility off to Congress or with an executive order.
Millions of voters not only won't vote for @realDonaldTrump again, but will never vote Republican again if they pass this DACA amnesty. https://t.co/erS4DJ6eKW
— Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) September 5, 2017
Breitbart went on to cite a tweet from ultra-conservative commentator Ann Coulter, who tweeted on Tuesday, "millions of voters not only won't for for @RealDonldTrump again, but will never vote Republican again if they pass this DACA amnesty."
While it's unclear what form the DACA program will take in Congress as they attempt to tackle a busy September agenda, Mr. Trump told reporters at a meeting on tax form at the White House, "I have a great heart for the folks we're talking about, a great love for them," adding, "People think in terms of children, but they're really young adults."
He reissued his charge to lawmakers to take on the task, adding "I have a love for these people and hopefully, now Congress will be able to help them and do it properly."