President Trump offers DACA extension in exchange for border wall

In a televised speech Saturday, Jan. 19, President Donald Trump said that in order to end the partial federal government shutdown, he is proposing a three-year extension of protections for DACA recipients.

DACA refers to Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. It is a U.S. immigration policy that allows some individuals who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children, to receive a renewable period of deferred action from deportation.

DACA was established by President Barack Obama in 2012.

The president also offered Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders extensions in exchange for the $5.7 billion in border security funding.

TPS is a temporary status given to eligible nationals of designated countries who are present in the U.S. The status is extended to nationals from some countries affected by armed conflict or natural disaster and permits them to live and work in the U.S. for a limited period. 

“To every member of Congress: Pass a bill that ends this crisis,” Trump said today. “To every citizen: Call Congress and tell them to finally, after all of these decades, secure our border. This is a choice between right and wrong, justice and injustice. This is about whether we fulfill our sacred duty to the American citizens we serve.”

For President Trump’s full statement, go to https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/president-donald-j-trumps-plan-reopen-government-fund-border-security/. 

U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) issued the following statement after Trump announced his plan to strengthen border security, pass consensus reform measures like DACA, and reopen the government: 
 
“The president has laid out a constructive new proposal that contains the basis for a bipartisan agreement,” Portman said. “It includes many of the same ideas I have been discussing in bipartisan talks with senators over the past few weeks.  My hope is that this proposal will spark more good-faith negotiations so we can resolve the current impasse on border security and reopen the government.

“As I have said repeatedly, we are not that far apart. We should get a commitment to provide border security, reopen the government and pass legislation to stop government shutdowns in the future. I will continue my discussions with Democratic and Republican colleagues this weekend to achieve this result.”