America is screaming out a collective “LOL” at Paul Ryan’s claim that immigration is one of the “two regrets” that he wishes he could have gotten done during his time as House speaker, an office that has always given him the power to bring an immigration bill to the floor any time he wanted. “As for his regrets,” the Associated Press (AP) reported, “Ryan cited not paying off the national debt and failing to pass an immigration overhaul. If those can be solved, Ryan said ‘we will have a great 21st century.’”
But it was Ryan who flipped off frightened Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients like Angelica Villalobos, back in January 2017 assuring her and her young daughter on the eve of a Trump presidency that she had nothing to worry about. Ryan then put U.S. immigration policy entirely in the hands of racists like Iowa’s Steve King.
Remember though, that Ryan has been no bumbling fool either, but instead a calculating accomplice to Donald Trump’s mass deportation force. When House Democrats and a smaller group of pro-immigrant House Republicans attempted to bypass Ryan’s inaction earlier this year and bring bipartisan legislation, like the DREAM Act, to the floor through a discharge petition, Ryan successfully sabotaged it.
Ryan also refused to take up legislation protecting other immigrants under threat by the Trump administration, including Temporary Protected Status (TPS) recipients, some of whom have had permission for decades now to live and work here but could now create the next family separation crisis. A bipartisan group of House members, recognizing this crisis, introduced legislation to address this. Ryan also ignored that.
But, “I hope your future is here,” Ryan claimed to Angelica nearly two years ago, as her young daughter stood to her side. “We have to find a way to make sure that you can get right with the law. If you’re worried about, you know, some deportation force knocking on your door this year, don’t worry about that.” He could have done something, and he didn’t. Good riddance to him.
“I am happy to see you will dedicate more time to your family once you leave Congress, Speaker Ryan,” wrote another DACA recipient, Juan Escalante. “I will do the same, because Dreamers will not and cannot ‘rest easy’ about our future or the future of our families in the U.S. under Trump.”