Time's up, Congress. Bypass GOP leaders and get DACA done for DREAMers

Ever since the Trump administration’s effort last fall to kill the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, 800,000 young people living in our communities have faced the fear of deportation from the only homes — and the only homeland — most have ever really known. These are the “DREAMers”: our neighbors, schoolmates and co-workers who were brought to America as children and, until now, were eligible to stay and lead productive lives by meeting strict DACA requirements and undergoing security checks.

As governor of a state with many DACA residents and as a grandson of immigrants who values the immense contributions each new generation of arrivals has brought to America, I am deeply concerned by congressional inaction on DACA. Also, as a former member of Congress, I believe that election to the House or Senate carries a responsibility to solve problems and keep America on course with the values that have made our nation great.

I was initially encouraged by court decisions that delayed the president’s shutdown of DACA and bought Congress time to find a bipartisan solution that would allow DREAMers to remain with us. But as Congress continues to dither and the House Republican leadership stubbornly insists on blocking all DACA debate, my hopes have turned to frustration. 

Look, this should be a slam dunk! DACA recipients who live in our communities are Americans in every sense, except for their paperwork. They grew up in this country.  They are one of us. Many are valued employees, others pursue higher education and some serve in our armed forces.

But with President Trump’s push to end the DACA program, it’s fallen on Congress to act before hundreds of thousands of these young people lose their protection from deportation. The clock is ticking. Yet the House of Representatives, in particular, seems incapable of taking action, frozen in place by its present leadership and Washington’s toxic politics.