Trump Plan Requires Wall, Includes DACA Path

The White House released its immigration reform framework Jan. 25, emphasizing border security, but also would allow a path to citizenship for nearly two million Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)-eligible illegal immigrants.

Border security provisions in the framework include a $25 billion border wall trust fund, increased Department of Homeland Security (DHS) personnel, and additional Immigration and Customs Enforcement judges, lawyers, and law enforcement personnel.

The proposal would end “catch and release,” ensure removal of criminal aliens, and increase removals for visa overstays.

For DACA-eligible individuals the framework provides a “10-12-year path to citizenship, with requirements for work, education, and good moral character” along with provisions to stop fraud and a revocation process for those who participate in criminal activity or threaten public safety.

The plan would “[p]romote nuclear family migration by limiting family sponsorships to spouses and minor children only.” This, in effect, would end “chain migration.” The plan also ends the visa lottery program.

“The Department of Homeland Security fully supports the president’s security-focused immigration framework, including funding for the border wall system, the ability to quickly remove those who break our immigration laws, and reforms to our immigration system,” said DHS Secretary Kristjen Nielsen in a statement released by the department.

Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y) blasted the president on Twitter.

“While @realDonaldTrump finally acknowledged that the Dreamers should be allowed to stay here and become citizens, he uses them as a tool to tear apart our legal immigration system and adopt the wish list that anti-immigration hardliners have advocated for for years,” Schumer wrote.

On his way back from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Jan. 26. President Trump tweeted back.

“DACA has been made increasingly difficult by the fact that Cryin’ Chuck Schumer took such a beating over the shutdown that he is unable to act on immigration!”