Want to read a response about DACA from a walking POS? [View all]
Dear Sinkingfeeling,
Thank you for contacting me about the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Its good to hear from you, as always.
President Trumps decision to phase out the DACA program is a first step toward cleaning up the mess that President Obamas unlawful amnesty left behind. President Trump is right that this amnesty would never have stood up in court. Yet, we now face a situation where 800,000 people, who were brought to our country as minors, face legal limbo. Dealing with this problem is a legislative task, not an executive-branch task.
We must recognize that codifying the DACA program will have two negative consequences: encouraging future illegal immigration with minors and allowing those 800,000 people to obtain legal status for their family members via chain migration, which rewards the very people who broke the law in the first place and further depresses working-class wages. If Congress decides to codify DACA, we must mitigate these consequences by stopping the chain migration that hurts the working class and by strengthening the enforcement of our immigration laws.
Ive introduced legislation, the RAISE Act, that would update Americas permanent, legal immigration system to fit the needs of our 21st century economy, and my colleagues have several proposals to strengthen enforcement. These should be the starting point of our discussions over legislation to codify DACA, and I look forward to working with all of my colleagues to come up with a deal that protects American workers.
Im honored to serve as your senator. You, your family, and our state will remain on my mind and close to my heart in my work. Always feel free to call my office at (202) 224-2353 or visit www.cotton.senate.gov. Be sure to drop by my office and say hello if you ever visit our nations capital.
Sincerely,
Tom Cotton
United States Senator