Here’s further proof to take just about anything coming from the Trump White House with a grain of salt. Last night, DHS said it would continue DACA, a popular Obama-era program that has allowed nearly 800,000 immigrant youth to work legally, live free from fear of deportation, and thrive in the only country they call home. As the New York Times noted earlier today, Trump pledged during his campaign to undo the program—red meat for his racist base—“but once in office, Mr. Trump faced a new reality: the political risks of targeting for deportation a group of people who are viewed sympathetically by many Americans.”
But then later today, the New York Times reported that the administration pulled a full about-face on DACA: “White House officials said Friday morning that Mr. Trump had not made a decision about the long-term fate of the program and might yet follow through on a campaign pledge to take away work permits from the immigrants or deport them.” So, Trump got his positive headlines from the fake news outlets he hates, then dropped the bomb telling undocumented youth that their futures in the U.S. continue to be in limbo.
But wait, there’s more, because as the Trump regime pretends to give with one hand, it gives the finger with the other, also announcing last night that it was formally rescinding an unimplemented 2014 immigration program intended to protect the undocumented immigrant parents of U.S. citizens and permanent residents from deportation. Make no mistake, this is yet another attack on immigrant families, because the very parents who would have benefitted from this program yesterday are getting deported today. “Great heart” on immigration indeed.
Deferred Action for Parents of Americans (DAPA) was announced in 2014 by President Obama following the Republican Congress’s inaction on immigration reform, but it was immediately blocked by a partisan lawsuit from Republican governors and attorneys general of 26 states, a decision later upheld by a deadlocked Supreme Court. DAPA was languishing in limbo until yesterday, when the Trump admin formally threw it in the trash heap. Yesterday also happened to be the fifth anniversary of DACA. With an administration as vindictive as this one, it’s hard to believe this wasn’t purely coincidental.
What we do know is that this administration lies, often and about the most inconsequential shit. It’s why immigrant rights leaders stressed during a press call earlier today that while they will continue fighting for protections for themselves and their families, they remain on high alert due to the fact that DACA recipients are being “framed, stalked, detained, and deported,” despite reassurances from Trump and DHS Sec. John Kelly that they would do none of that.
Earlier this week, Jessica Colotl won a hard-fought victory after a federal judge forced federal immigration officials to reinstate her revoked DACA status:
Last month, immigration officials “suddenly and arbitrarily” revoked Colotl’s protection from deportation, claiming she had previously pled guilty to a felony conviction. But this was yet another lie from a blatantly dishonest administration—there was no guilty plea. Government attorneys were later forced to backtrack on their claim in court.
And also this week, ICE’s acting director told all undocumented immigrants with no criminal record they “should be uncomfortable”:
The Trump administration will continue arresting undocumented immigrants who haven’t been convicted of crimes and won’t apologize for it, the acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement said Tuesday.
“If you’re in this country illegally and you committed a crime by entering this country, you should be uncomfortable,” Acting Director Thomas Homan told the House Appropriations Committee’s Homeland Security Subcommittee. “You should look over your shoulder, and you need to be worried.
As the ACLU’s Lorella Praeli said during a press call on Friday, “the only certainty in Trump’s America is uncertainty.” Lynn Tramonte of immigrant rights group America’s Voice:
Even before the DAPA memo was rescinded, the Trump Administration had begun targeting and deporting law-abiding members of society who have been building their lives here, raising American families, and contributing to the greater good. Revoking the DAPA memo is apparently just a formality to this Administration, but to us it’s yet another sad commentary on the Republican Party’s attitude toward aspiring Americans.
Regarding DACA, yesterday’s DHS guidance simply reiterates the status quo. DACA remains in place – for now – but it’s clear that they are using it as cover to deport everyone else. What’s more, this Administration has been cynically wielding its enforcement authorities over certain DACA recipients. This is a classic move used by abusers to keep their targets – in this case DACA recipients – feeling vulnerable and ‘in check.’
Greisa Martinez, leader with United We Dream: “I am undocumented, unafraid, and here to stay. Currently, both my little sister and I are DACA-recipients and protected from immediate deportation, for now. While last night’s memo left DACA unchanged, my mom would have qualified for DAPA. The White House made clear today that they haven’t made a final decision on DACA’s future, and their actions show that we are still vulnerable. Since his campaign, we’ve seen that Trump, and now his administration, have no qualms about lying to or about any of us. We will continue to fight to protect all immigrants and call on policymakers to step up and enact policies to ensure that we are safe and can thrive.”