In the latest immigration bill rumors, a senior Trump administration official – probably Trump himself — told reporters today that the president is open to an immigration reform bill that could include a path to legal status for undocumented immigrants. The “source” is considering adding the topic to his joint address tonight. Though some have started to wonder whether that means Trump is open to compromise, it’s important to look at Trump’s actions, not just his latest words, when it comes to what he intends to do. Unfortunately, it’s hard to believe Trump could be serious about meaningful immigration reform when:
- He’s deporting immigrants who have been in the US for decades, who are most definitely not “bad hombres”.
- He’s detaining DREAMers like Daniel — DACA recipients who have been cleared by DHS and willingly gave their papers to government officials.
- He wants to hire 15,000 new Border Patrol and ICE agents — many of whom would surely end up responsible for deporting people like Guadalupe García de Rayos, considering how “fun” some of them seem to think rounding people up is.
- He’s committed to a mass deportation agenda and has already expanded the process for expedited removals, and conducted raids that have netted immigrants without criminal records. Agents have conducted raids in and around homes, workplaces, grocery stores, schools, churches, shelters, and baseball games. They have detained a woman with pituitary cancer and an alleged victim of domestic violence; they have placed dozens of immigrants into solitary confinement over a hunger strike.
- He’s threatened to defund states and cities that are friendly to immigrants.
- He is staffed and surrounded by white nationalists like Steve Bannon and immigration reform arch-enemy Jeff Sessions.
-
He has repeatedly expressed a worldview where immigrants are takers and criminals. In fact, that was how he started his campaign and he never pivoted away from it.
We really could go on.
Trump’s immigration policy is an existential threat to the millions of undocumented immigrants who fear being detained, deported, and separated from their families. There’s no grounds to take off-the record talk and immigration bill rumors seriously unless he drastically alters his mass deportation agenda.
Don’t just take our word for it; view tweets on immigration bill rumors:
Keep in mind: Trump is bringing 6 guests tonight. Half of them are meant to emphasize danger of undocumented immigrants.
— Elise Foley (@elisefoley) March 1, 2017
Trump bluffs, exaggerates, misrepresents the truth all the time. I’ll believe it when I see it. Time for action. https://t.co/J4QVHqARw0
— Julián Castro (@JulianCastro) February 28, 2017
How does Trump define “some”; the 2 or 3 immigrants left here after his brutal mass/self deportation campaign? https://t.co/muBWsegN8c
— David Leopold (@DavidLeopold) March 1, 2017
Here’s the thing about Trump & an #immigration bill. Would Sessions/Bannon/Miller really let it see the light of day?https://t.co/fcAVX5VN0z
— Philip Wolgin (@pwolgin) February 28, 2017
Remember PHX:. Trump said once we’ve ended illegal imm w lots of deportations, wall, agents etc, then maybe, for some. Nothing new here. https://t.co/UYbEwPu8Fo
— Frank Sharry (@FrankSharry) February 28, 2017
Twitter speculation is fun, but we can all agree that if he just says “Immigration! Let’s compromise!” tonight it means nothing, right?
— Dara Lind (@DLind) February 28, 2017
Trump says he wants ‘real and positive’ immigration reform but his policies do not reflect that.
— Fair Imm Ref4m Mvmnt (@Re4mImmigration) March 1, 2017
Trump on immigration reform = zero substance pic.twitter.com/WHy9DOvVfU
— Elise Foley (@elisefoley) March 1, 2017
We’re not ready to praise #Trump on #Immigrationreform until we see action & end to hateful rhetoric against immigrants #Jointsession
— DRM Action Coalition (@DRMAction) March 1, 2017
Remember the Senate’s bipartisan immigration reform? Can we start there? https://t.co/Ozo8uMZnSE
— Rep. Ted Deutch (@RepTedDeutch) March 1, 2017
Trump *says* he wants immig compromise? Here’s what he’s *done*
raided communities
picked up noncriminals
punish cities that dont deport— igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) March 1, 2017
Trump’s promise of #immigrationreform rings hollow given his shock & awe approach in his 1st month creating chaos & fear among #immigrants
— Marielena Hincapié (@MarielenaNILC) March 1, 2017
