On Tuesday, over 30 members of the House, many of whom are members of the Republican Main Street Caucus, urged Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) to permanently resolve the status of individuals in the U.S. under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, also known as “Dreamers,” through legislation that could be brought to the House floor by year end.
“Since being approved for DACA status, an overwhelming majority of these individuals have enrolled in school, found employment, or have served in the military,” the group of 34 Republican lawmakers wrote in a letter. “Studies have shown that passing legislation to permanently protect these individuals would add hundreds of billions to our country’s gross domestic product. That is why the business community, universities, and civic leaders alike support a permanent legislative solution.”
Former President Barack Obama used an executive order to create the DACA program. The lawmakers’ letter noted their strong support for border enforcement and immigration reform and reiterated their assertion that “executive action was not the appropriate process for solving this issue, and we believe Congress should act.”
In September, President Donald Trump ordered the program to expire in March, but some 22,000 DACA individuals were unable to renew their status this year, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The letter to Ryan stressed that if legislation does not solve the problem by the end of the year, more than 700,000 young people face an uncertain future in the United States through no fault of their own.
Main Street Caucus members spoke to their support for helping DACA recipients avoid deportation toward applying for more secure U.S. status.
Rep. Rodney Davis (R-IL), chairman of the Republican Main Street Caucus, said, “This letter shows many Republicans are serious about finding a permanent solution to solving the DACA issue as President Trump has urged Congress to do. However, we want to work with leadership to craft a solution that will pass.”
DACA recipients did what the U.S. government asked them to do, said Rep. Jeff Denham (R-CA), who serves as co-chair of the caucus. “They came out of the shadows, paid a fee, passed a background check, and got a job or enrolled in school. They are making real contributions to the only country they have ever known to be home,” Denham said.
Rep. Bruce Poliquin (R-ME) said, “We all agree that our border must be enforced, our national security defended, and our broken immigration system reformed, but in this moment, we must address the urgent matter before us in a balanced approach that does not harm valuable sectors of our economy nor the lives of these hard-working young people.”
Rep. Tom MacArthur (R-NJ) said he supports the DACA program and voted against eliminating the program during his first term in Congress.
“Our immigration system is in need of reform, but this process should not start by hurting the most innocent and vulnerable population,” MacArthur added.