Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin and GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham were quick to embrace comments from Donald Trump suggesting that he would back off part of his deportation pledge and "work something out" for undocumented immigrants brought here as minors. Durbin and Graham, who have been working on legislation to protect some 744,000 DREAMers who signed up for President Obama's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, immediately sent out a joint statement in response to Trump's remarks.
"We're encouraged by these comments by President-elect Trump — they present an opportunity to do the right thing for more than 744,000 young people who grew up here. There is bipartisan support for this in the Senate and we will soon have a legislative response ready if needed. They have much to contribute to the country they love."
Trump made the comments in an interview with TIME magazine released Wednesday, writes Eliza Collins.
Trump didn't back down from his promise to end Obama's executive orders on immigration, but he did offer an opening for people who qualified for Obama's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.
“We’re going to work something out that’s going to make people happy and proud,” Trump said. “They got brought here at a very young age, they’ve worked here, they’ve gone to school here. Some were good students. Some have wonderful jobs. And they’re in never-never land because they don’t know what’s going to happen.
But Greisa Martinez, Advocacy Director for United We Dream, didn’t sound particularly impressed in her statement.
“We will fight to defend DACA fearlessly to ensure that nearly 800,000 young people continue to be protected from deportation and retain the ability to work. But we will never allow ‘working something out’ for young people with DACA to serve as a cover for mass deportation and the Muslim registry.”
“DACA doesn’t just benefit me — the job I have and the home I bought benefit my whole family, including my mother who is undocumented and who I’m terrified will be a victim of Donald Trump.”