WASHINGTON — One month after the Justice Department announced intentions to end an Obama-era immigration program, administration officials took questioning from senators.
In September, the Trump administration announced plans to wind down the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA, beginning in March of next year.
Under the program, created by an executive order in 2012, some undocumented immigrants who arrived in the country as children can defer deportation for two years at a time and get a work permit.
While indicating intentions to wind down the program, President Donald Trump has also voiced support for beneficiaries of the program.
At Tuesday’s Senate Judiciary Committee meeting, the first legislative hearing on the program since the announcement, frustrations emerged from senators on both sides of the aisle over the administration’s position on the program.
Both Republicans and Democrats spoke in favor of creating a way to allow people brought to the United States as children to stay in the country lawfully.
Republicans were generally supportive of the administration’s reasoning to end the program — that Obama’s executive order creating the program was unlawful — but sought details from Justice Department and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services officials on policies going forward.
Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said he believed Trump made the right move with regards to the program.
“The time is right for Congress to develop a solution for these young adults who are brought to the U.S. illegally by their parents,” Cornyn said.
Democrats, meanwhile, spoke against the administration’s plans to end the program. They pressed the officials on protection of the data collected from DACA recipients. They also raised questions over whether the administration would postpone a deadline set for later this week for DACA recipients to reapply if their status expires before March.
Many raised issues with the reasoning the administration offered for ending the program.
Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., questioned Chad Readler, acting assistant attorney general, about comments Attorney General Jeff Sessions made last month explaining his recommendation to terminate the program.
“Failure to enforce the laws in the past has put our nation at risk of crime, violence and even terrorism,” Sessions said.
“Could you provide this committee with any examples of Dreamers who’ve been involved with terrorist activities? He spoke of that as being a real problem with Dreamers — terrorist activity,” Leahy said.
“You don’t have to give me hundreds. Just give me one, one, one,” Leahy said, his voice rising as he spoke. Dreamers are a term used to describe the children.
Readler responded that he was not aware of any examples.
“Neither is the attorney general when he said that, I can guarantee you that,” Leahy said.
Upon further questioning from Leahy, Readler responded that Sessions is scheduled to appear before the committee himself later this month.
“Oh really, it’s about time,” Leahy, who slammed Sessions over missed appointments with the Appropriations committee earlier this year, said. “I’m glad to hear that. He’s taken longer than any attorney general since I’ve been here, but I’ve only been here 42 years.”
Throughout the hearing, the administration officials offered few details and opinions on contents of legislation, including on the Dream Act.
Some, like Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., grew irritated as they sought information about what the administration envisioned Congress doing next with concerns about DACA recipients.
Under questioning by Kennedy, Department of Homeland Security official Michael Dougherty offered one detail for legislation.
“Under a rational bill, these individuals would be able to become lawful permanent residents with a pathway to permanent citizenship,” Dougherty said.
However, as Kennedy pressed on about whether Trump believes DACA recipients should stay in the country and how such a program would work, Dougherty and the others on the panel didn’t offer suggestions.
“Under what conditions does the president believe (DACA-recipients) should be allowed to stay?” Kennedy said.
“I don’t have those details for you, sir,” Dougherty said.
Kennedy tapped the eraser end of his pencil on the desk for a moment after the response, looking frustrated. “You don’t have any suggestions?”
“We are ready to give you technical assistance,” Dougherty said.
