President Trump took the first steps Wednesday toward fulfilling his campaign promises on immigration while continuing to tread carefully on the status of illegal immigrants who claim to have entered the country as minors.
Immigration hawks celebrated Trump’s executive orders facilitating the construction of the southern border wall, beefing up interior enforcement and defunding “sanctuary cities” that do not cooperate in immigration enforcement.
“President Trump’s executive actions are an historic, much-needed course correction in America’s approach to immigration policy, which has been on autopilot for decades,” said Dan Stein, president of the Federation for American Immigration Reform, which advocates tighter immigration controls.
Trump continued his practice of highlighting the families of victims of crimes committed by illegal immigrants, much the same way his opponents publicize undocumented high school valedictorians.
“I want you to know that your children have not lost their lives for no reason,” the president said. He asked the “angel moms” to stand as their names were read.
Addressing those who argue deportations will separate families, Trump said, “They don’t talk about American families forever separated from the ones they love.”
The president also recognized the heads of the border patrol and ICE unions, which supported him during the campaign, and said of the Department of Homeland Security, “This is a law enforcement agency.”
Yet on the same day, the White House confirmed that approvals and renewals for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, created by executive order under President Obama, were continuing.
“The president understands the magnitude of the problem,” press secretary Sean Spicer told reporters. “He’s a family man. He has a huge heart.”
Trump said much the same thing about his newly sworn in Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly at the DHS event. “He’s a rough, tough guy, but he’s also got a good heart,” the president remarked.
Immigration hawks have been displeased by Trump’s caution on DACA for two reasons. The first is that he promised in August to “immediately terminate President Obama’s executive amnesties.” DACA is the only one of the two that courts allowed to proceed.
The second is that immigration control advocates worry Trump is giving up an important bargaining chip in getting Congress to support wall funding, a mandatory e-Verify system to screen illegal immigrant job applicants and other enforcement measures.
Trump may have other political considerations, however. Even many immigration hawks ultimately support a legislative resolution for DACA beneficiaries. He could hope to buy goodwill for his immigration policies by moving slowly with this sympathetic subgroup of illegal immigrants, numbering about 750,000.
It’s similar to Trump’s approach to Obamacare, where he has continuously advocated repeal but has also wanted an immediate replacement that keeps some of the law’s most popular features and is competitive in terms of coverage.
While some conservative lawmakers have protested Trump’s DACA inaction, House Speaker Paul Ryan and Republicans prefer emphasizing border security over deportations.
The reaction from immigration advocacy groups and progressive organizations has been no less scathing. “President Donald Trump’s executive orders seek to divide us and in our community we’re ready to show him he can’t break the bonds of family, friendship, mutual respect, and love,” said Mi Familia Vota executive director Ben Monterroso.
The Latino nonprofit’s statement was headlined, “Our community will not be divided by President Donald Trump’s wall of hatred.”
Many reacted to measures related to immigration from heavily Muslim nations before they were even announced. “This is not what America is about,” said Stephanie Taylor of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee in a statement. “We stand strongly against these hateful actions, and in solidarity with our Muslim and immigration neighbors.”
Trump’s first few days in office have seen a flurry of activity on issues that were central to his campaign.
