Sen. Kamala Harris tore into acting Homeland Security Secretary Elaine Duke’s claim that the federal government has had “no requests” from DACA recipients to extend the Oct. 5 renewal deadline set up by the federal government, saying during the hearing earlier today that in her state of California, “young people are terrified.”
Despite a Brooklyn, New York, judge blasting the Trump administration as “heartless” over its refusal to adjust the DACA deadline so that as many eligible youth as possible can reapply, Duke attempted to claim she’s had no indications from DACA recipients that they want an extension. Sen. Harris detected bullshit:
Harris: ”Have you convened, or had a meeting at all any input, from the community folks who are working on the ground to get information from them? And if not, I request that you do that so you can get a complete picture of what is actually happening on the ground.”
“But I will tell you from the perspective of California, these young people are terrified. They are terrified. They were told, by your agency, that if they submitted this comprehensive information about their background and status to apply for DACA, that that information would not be shared with ICE.”
“I’ve asked you, I’ve asked the former secretary, are you willing to keep America’s promise to these young people and not share their information with ICE? Can you answer that question finally? It has not been answered the many times I’ve asked.”
Duke: “I think, uh...I can’t unequivocally promise that, no, but I do know—“
Harris: “So we will not keep out promise to these children, and these young people?”
Duke: “I’m not familiar with the promise that was made to these children …”
The Trump administration, ladies and gentlemen. All it takes is a quick Google search to find DHS’s DACA FAQs, which explicitly state that “information provided in this request is protected from disclosure to ICE and CBP.”
Sen. Harris continued her defense of undocumented immigrant youth:
Harris: “I’ll submit for the record, and I’ll give you a copy of the document where the United States government told these young people, when they applied for DACA status, that we would not share their information with ICE. You’ve not seen this document?”
Duke: “No, I have not.”
Harris: “Okay, I will give a copy to you, I have it here, and I will give you a copy. I think I presented it to you and certainly the person that you succeeded before.”
Duke: “Okay, and I will get you an answer.”
Harris: “And, I’d like that answer before the end of the week please.”
Hell yes. And to congressional Republicans, take note of what leadership looks like and pass the bipartisan DREAM Act now.