While some congressional Republicans support some type of bill protecting “Dreamers,” the disconnect between the parties appears to involve the fact that the act doesn’t address the issue of border security. If congressional Democrats want to seriously tackle the issue of immigration, any proposed bill must also include acceptable provisions relative to border security.
If they don’t handle it carefully, the Dream and Promise Act puts congressional Republicans in a bit of a conundrum from a political standpoint.
On the one hand, support for Dreamers has increased in recent months, as many Americans don’t want to punish children for the improper acts of their parents or other adults. On the other hand, some Republican voters continue to support President Donald Trump’s zero-tolerance approach on immigration, and would likely view this bill as an unacceptable concession to Democratic demands.
Therefore, acceptance of this bill could be viewed as a sign of weakness and a step backward on the issue of immigration, which is one of the president’s “big ticket” items as 2020 approaches.
While Republicans face some tough political decisions with respect to the protections that should be afforded to Dreamers, they still have some legitimate arguments against the passage of this particular act. Most notably, Republicans can point to the fact that the act doesn’t address border security and that any immigration bill that seeks to protect Dreamers (and other individuals) must also fully address this issue. As recent history has shown us, congressional Democrats will likely reject such conditions.
The Democrats’ reactions to these offers and the fact that the current act fails to address the vital issue of border security bolsters the following conclusion: Congressional Democrats care more about open borders and preventing any law that would curtail legal or illegal immigration than they do about helping Dreamers.
By passing the American Dream and Promise Act without addressing the issue of border security, congressional Democrats could have their cake and eat it, too. They would help Dreamers who are presently in the country (a win for Democrats) and would refrain from doing anything to prevent others from illegally entering the country (another win for Democrats).
Congressional Republicans in the Senate shouldn’t fall for this intentional omission. They should stand strong and demand that any immigration bill, including this one, should thoroughly address the issue of border security before they even consider it.