For Immediate Release
September 05, 2017
“I believe that real and
positive immigration reform is possible, as long as we focus on the following
goals: To improve jobs and wages for Americans; to strengthen our nation's
security; and to restore respect for our laws.” – President Donald J. Trump
RESPONSIBLY ENDING UNLAWFUL
IMMIGRATION POLICY: Today, the Trump Administration is rescinding the previous
Administration’s memorandum creating the unlawful Deferred Action for Childhood
Arrivals (DACA) program and has begun to end the program responsibly.
·
Attorney General Jeff Sessions sent a letter to the Department
of Homeland Security explaining that DACA was not statutorily authorized and
was therefore an unconstitutional exercise of discretion by the executive
branch.
·
Attorney General Sessions found that DACA, given pending
litigation, would likely face the same outcome as the Deferred Action for
Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) program, which was
enjoined by the courts.
·
The Trump Administration is taking responsible action to wind
down DACA in an orderly and minimally disruptive manner.
·
If President Trump allowed DACA to go to court, it is likely
that the court would abruptly enjoin the program.
·
If President Trump had refused to act, many States were prepared
to pursue litigation to end DACA by court order.
·
Under the change announced today, current DACA recipients
generally will not be impacted until after March 5, 2018, six months from now.
That period of time gives Congress the opportunity to consider appropriate
legislative solutions.
·
DHS’s enforcement priorities remain in place. However, absent a
law enforcement interest—which is largely the standard that has been in place
since the inception of the program—the Department will generally not take
actions to remove active DACA recipients.
·
DACA recipients range from ages 15 to 36, with the overwhelming
majority being of adult age.
·
Initial requests for Employment Authorization Documents under
DACA properly filed and accepted through today will be processed.
·
Additional DACA initial applications filed after today will not
be accepted.
·
Renewal applications for DACA Employment Authorization Documents
properly filed and accepted by October 5, 2017, for people whose current
Employment Authorization Documents expire between today and March 5, 2018, will
be processed.
·
Any such requests filed after October 5, 2017 will not be
accepted.
·
Currently approved applications for advance parole for DACA
recipients will generally be honored, but new applications will not be
approved.
·
All pending applications for advance parole by DACA recipients
will be closed and associated fees will be refunded.
RESTORING LAW AND ORDER TO OUR
IMMIGRATION SYSTEM: The DACA program was never intended to be permanent—even
President Obama admitted it was a temporary, extraordinary measure. And
President Obama repeatedly recognized that such unilateral actions were in
excess of the Executive’s appropriate role.
·
President Obama admitted publicly on at least a 22 occasions
that creating a DACA-like program was beyond his authority. President Obama
said:
·
In 2011, that “there are enough laws on the books by Congress
that are very clear in terms of how we have to enforce our immigration system
that for me to simply through Executive order ignore those congressional
mandates would not conform with my appropriate role as President.”
·
In 2010, that providing people in America illegally with legal
status and ignoring the laws on the books “would be both unwise and unfair.”
·
President Obama admitted in 2012 that DACA, implemented in an
election year, was “a temporary stopgap measure.”
·
Partly because of DACA, the United States saw a surge in illegal
immigration by minors in 2013-2014, because they hoped to take advantage of the
program.
·
President Obama knew this would be a problem, admitting in 2010
that a DACA-like policy “could lead to a surge in illegal immigration.”
·
President Trump refuses to allow criminal activity to dominate
our immigration system, taking action to restore the law and protect all
Americans.
·
One of President Trump’s first Executive orders informed
sanctuary jurisdictions that failure to fully abide by Federal immigration laws
would jeopardize access to certain Federal grant money.
·
As a result, Miami-Dade County reversed its years-long sanctuary
policy.
·
The DOJ issued new charging guidelines in April to bring to an
end the previous Administration’s catch-and-release policies by prioritizing
criminal immigration enforcement.
·
Since President Trump’s inauguration, illegal immigration on the
southwest border is down by 47 percent compared to the same period last year.
·
Illegal alien removals resulting from to U.S. Immigration and
Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrests have increased by over 32 percent.
·
So far in Fiscal Year 2017, ICE has arrested at least 3,641
criminal gang members compared to 2,057 criminal gang members in all of Fiscal
Year 2016.
REFORMING IMMIGRATION TO MAKE
AMERICA GREAT AGAIN: DACA made it impossible for President Trump to pursue the
reforms needed to restore fairness to our immigration system and protect
American workers.
·
President Trump’s highest obligation is to uphold the laws of
the United States. So long as the unlawful policies of the previous
Administration remain—especially those that incentivize further illegal
immigration—there is no realistic chance of achieving principled pro-worker
immigration reform. His priorities include:
·
Controlling the Border: President Trump intends to secure
the southwest border with a border wall and a robust law enforcement presence
on the border.
·
Improving Vetting and Immigration Security: Our
immigration system, including our asylum and refugee system, make the United
States potentially exposed to terrorist and public safety threats. We need to
improve vetting and set limits that allow for proper vetting.
·
Enforcing Our Laws: President Trump supports
the swift removal of those who illegally enter the United States or violate the
conditions of their visas.
·
Protecting Our Workers: President Trump is working
to encourage companies to raise wages and recruit American workers. This means
stopping the practice of hiring illegal workers who unlawfully deprive American
workers of jobs and higher wages.
·
Establishing a Merit-Based System for Entry: President
Trump supports efforts to prioritize immigrants based on skills and thereby
prevent the displacement of American workers.
