Multiplesourcesreport that President Trump on September 5 will probably announce the cancellation of the popular Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, to take effect after a delay of six months. No one seems sure what the six-month delay means; Vox’s Dara Lind analyzes the many different possibilities and what they would mean for DACA recipients. Meanwhile, Trump would be sticking Republicans in Congress with a hot potato. Many of them want to pass some version of the old DREAM Act, in effect granting legal status to the current DACA recipients. Other Republican legislators are hoping to make a deal with Democrats to combine a DREAM Act with funding for Trump’s border wall. And still others just want to deport as many DACA recipients as possible and drive the rest into the shadows.
Complicating the GOP’s problems, the media are reporting that one of the victims of Hurricane Harvey was aDACA recipient. Alonso Guillén had volunteered with a group trying to help flood victims but drowned the night of August 29 during a rescue attempt. The Border Patrol reportedly turned back his mother, who lives in Mexico, when she tried to enter the U.S. to attend Guillén’s funeral.
A number of groups are working on responses to Trump. Severalpetitionscalling for the defense of DACA are already in circulation. Others are warning supporters not to fall into the trap of defending immigrant youths by blaming their parents for entering the country without authorization.
Movimiento Cosecha has announced a nonviolent protest to “shut down Trump Tower” in New York on September 5 if the president goes ahead with the cancellation announcement. The protest would include “multiple direct actions, school walkouts, Trump Tower occupations, street shutdowns, mass rallies,” according to the group’s Facebook page.
When: Tuesday, September 5 at 11:00 am - 7:00 pm
Where: Trump Tower, 725 5th Ave, New York, New York 10022
More information: https://www.facebook.com/events/1956622981279758/
