Source: The Washington Post / Getty
President Donald Trump seems to be cracking down on his hardcore stance on immigration policy. Key word: seems.
During a Wednesday press conference, Trump said he’s open to making a path to citizenship for some younger undocumented immigrants (DREAMers) in a deal negotiated by Congress.
“We’re going to morph into it. It’s going to happen, at some point in the future, over a period of 10 to 12 years,” he said. “I think it’s a nice thing to have the incentive of after a period of years being able to become a citizen.”
He told reporters he wants $25 billion in funding for his proposed wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, along with an additional $5 billion for other security measures. “If you don’t have a wall, you don’t have DACA,” he continued.
White House aides said there would be a complete “framework” released on Monday.
“This framework will fulfill the four agreed-upon pillars: securing the border and closing legal loopholes; ending extended-family chain migration; canceling the visa lottery, and providing a permanent solution on DACA,” White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said.
The plan might grant immediate provisional legal status to immigrants covered by Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) that Trump terminated in the fall. They would be able to pursue full citizenship over 10 to 12 years. However, when reporters asked Huckabee if there would be protections for DACA recipients, Sanders declined to answer questions.
“Well, if I told you now, it would kind of take away the fun for Monday,” she told a reporter who asked for clarity.
It’s been a long time coming for an agreement regarding the fate of DREAMers and their undocumented parents since Trump was elected in 2016. We’re hoping for the best outcome for the sake of immigrants across the nation.
