President Donald Trump made the best decision by rescinding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, forcing Congress to do its job.
I believe “dreamers” are just as American as you and I are today. They are our classmates, our colleagues, our friends and our neighbors. They believe in the same ideals, rights and changes in a world that can only be created by America. They deserve the utmost protection from deportation, safety from hate and discrimination, and the opportunity to pursue the American dream.
Congress must do the job the American people elected them to do and protect the 800,000 “Americans” under DACA that are not fully protected by Obama’s executive order.
The legally weak memorandum creating DACA during Barack Obama’s presidency was an abuse of power that only furthered the problem. Not only did Obama try to create law when the Dream Act failed — a power conventionally reserved for the legislative branch — but he also kicked the problem down the road allowing this reversal to happen so easily.
Trump announced the change on the DACA policy with a tweet, sparking much debate on the topic. If you believe, like some, that our current president is an “evil man,” as explored in a Huffington Post article, then someone worse could easily come into office after him and flat out deport all of these people. The United States of America needs immigration reform.
The last time a major piece of immigration legislation passed was in 1996 when Bill Clinton was president. Since then, millions of people have immigrated to this country — some legally, some illegally — but all of these new immigrants have faced extreme hardships to come here. By deciding to end DACA, and giving Congress six months to act, Trump is essentially demanding that our stalled Congress do something about the situation.
By creating legislation to protect these immigrants, and by reforming our immigration system, Congress can streamline legal immigration and deter the illegal immigration that brought us to our current situation. A majority of Americans believe in protecting the “dreamers” according to a Politico poll.
Many people opposing this reversal on DACA are concerned that the timeline given for a replacement decision is too short. But, Congress was able to create and pass Obamacare — a bill over 2,300 pages long and dealing with the entire healthcare system of the country — in just eight months. Congress should be able to draft and deliver a bill to solve the mess created by a two-page memo.
It’s time for Congress to do its job: draft legislation that will put an end to the so many uncertainties and anxieties faced by our fellow Americans. Congress, draft legislation that will cut taxes and put more money back into these hard-working citizen’s bank accounts. Congress, draft legislation that will provide the best, most affordable healthcare the world has ever seen. Then, pass those legislations. Stop playing politics with people’s lives and start listening. America deserves better.
