On DACA’s ninth anniversary, Sun-Times columnist and bureau chief calls out Republicans for blocking progress on Dream and Promise Act
Washington, DC – Lynn Sweet, leading political columnist and longtime observer of politics, called out Republicans yesterday in the Chicago Sun Times for ignoring the plight of DREAMers in yesterday’s Senate Judiciary hearing on the ninth anniversary of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.
She noted that during yesterday’s hearing, “Republicans, especially the Trumpists on the panel, wanted to focus on security at the U.S.-Mexico border. They played up the potential of illegal immigrants being killers on the run” instead of focusing on the law-abiding DREAMers who were the focus of the hearing and who remain without permanent protections.
Below, find additional excerpts of her column and read the full version online at the Chicago Sun Times here.
… DREAMers are immigrants brought to the U.S. as youths who remain here illegally through no fault of their own. For many, the U.S. is the only country they have called home.
With a Democratic White House, Senate and House, there is another push going on now, this time for the American Dream and Promise Act of 2021, which passed the House. Even in the best of times, it’s hard to see how the Senate would accept the entire House measure without some significant revisions. But that’s what the negotiating process is for — that is, if the process was working.
The window for Democrats to act shrinks each day, since Democrats could lose both chambers in 2022.
The newest DREAMer legislation was the topic of Durbin’s Senate hearing.
…
During the hearing Tuesday, Republicans, especially the Trumpists on the panel, wanted to focus on security at the U.S.-Mexico border. They played up the potential of illegal immigrants being killers on the run. Yes, you’ve heard these scare tactics before.
Spotlighting illegal immigrants who commit terrible crimes — not necessarily DREAMers who grew up in the U.S. — has been, is and will be the Trump play.
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After the hearing, Durbin was among those at the White House for a DACA anniversary event hosted by Vice President Kamala Harris. “I’m here on behalf of the Biden-Harris administration to tell you this administration fully intends to do everything in our power to protect our DREAMers,” Harris said.
Biden assigned Harris to deal with the “root causes” of migration from El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico.
Harris has yet to visit the southern border. She fumbled an answer about why she hasn’t gone so far, fueling Trump Republicans and FOX hosts who have turned that lack of a border trip into a sideshow. Trump and Trumpsters are attacking Harris to maintain immigration as a wedge issue, while ignoring how law-abiding DREAMers remain without permanent protections.
