Washington
(AFP) - US President Donald Trump's administration on Thursday unveiled
a sweeping new immigration plan to Congress that offers 1.8 million
young unauthorized immigrants known as "Dreamers" a path to citizenship
over 10-12 years.
In
a comprehensive reform that will be formally presented next week, Trump
has also asked Congress to eliminate the popular "green card lottery"
program and severely restrict family immigration, steps analysts say
could cut in half the more than one million foreign-born people moving
to the country annually.
And
in the name of halting illegal immigration, he has also demanded
Congress budget $25 billion for a "trust fund" for constructing a wall
on the US-Mexico border -- a major plank of Trump's White House
campaign.
"The
Department of Homeland Security must have the tools to deter illegal
immigrants; the ability to remove individuals who illegally enter the
United States, and the vital authorities necessary to protect national
security," a senior White House official told journalists.
The
White House's offer of a path to citizenship for the Dreamers was much
wider than expected. Earlier it had suggested it was only open to
granting citizenship to the 690,000 young immigrants registered under
the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program.
But
in exchange, Trump was asking Congress to make future legal immigration
more difficult -- and to shore up the Homeland Security Department's
toolbox and funding to crack down on the overall population of
unauthorized immigrants, estimated at some 11 million, including
Dreamers.
That could make the plan difficult to get past Democrats, no matter how strong they want the Dreamers reform.
"There
is no public policy justification for cutting legal immigration in
half. None," said Democratic Senator Brian Schatz on Twitter.
- Sharp turn in immigration policy -
The
plan represents a sharp shift in US immigration policies. Trump
promised during his 2016 presidential campaign a tough crackdown on
illegal immigration, but has extended this to narrowing the doors for
legal immigrants and refugees.
The
end of the lottery system -- which was introduced in 1990 to diversify
the origins of new immigrants -- was expected and has support from some
Democrats. Trump has argued the program has allowed people into the
country who have supported Islamic extremists.
"This
program is riddled with fraud and abuse and does not serve the national
interest," the White House said in a summary Thursday.
Trump
however at least momentarily undermined his push against the lottery
when, in immigration bill negotiations with lawmakers in early January,
he complained about immigrants from what he reportedly dubbed "shithole"
nations like Haiti, El Salvador and countries in Africa, sparking
widespread outrage.
Trump
has also argued for ending "chain" migration, the practice of allowing
the extended family members of people who already have US citizenship to
immigrate.
Thursday's
proposal said that to "protect the nuclear family," family immigration
would be only permitted for spouses and minor children.
- Battle in Congress likely -
The
White House plan immediately provoked the ire of Democrats, who made
clear they would likely fight to water down the changes in negotiations
in coming weeks.
Pro-immigration
groups said it would reduce overall immigration by half, and was aimed
at bringing more Caucasians into the country.
"$25
billion as ransom for Dreamers with cuts to legal immigration and
increases to deportations doesn't pass the laugh test," said Democratic
Representative Luis Gutierrez.
"The
White House released a hateful, xenophobic immigration proposal that
would slash legal immigration to levels not seen since the racial quotas
of the 1920s," said Lorella Praeli, director of immigration policy at
the American Civil Liberties Union.
But
Republican leaders in Congress voiced solid support: Senate majority
leader Mitch McConnell said the White House proposal was a "framework"
for crafting a final immigration deal.
Republican
Senator Tom Cotton, a hardline conservative, called Trump's framework
"generous and humane, while also being responsible."
However,
some conservatives were angered by the sweeping offer to Dreamers,
which they say constitutes an amnesty that rewards law-breakers and sets
a bad precedent for other undocumented immigrants.
"Any
proposal that expands the amnesty-eligible population risks opening
Pandora's box," said Michael Needham, chief executive of the right-wing
lobby Heritage Action.
"That should be a non-starter," he said.
1 comment:
yep and the liberal democrats said f you President Trump. Because they dont care about people, only their satanic agenda to defend themselves from justice. Oh and its coming for ya bitches!!! God Bless President Donald Trump, and death to those that oppose him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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