If more of our
colleagues join us, I believe it will be ultimately acceptable to the
President as well. Despite the mixed messages sent by the administration, I have to
believe, in order to keep on going, the President meant what he said
when he called our Dreamers remarkable kids. I have to believe the many
times I heard him speak about the Dreamers with compassion, about
treating these bright young people with heart, I have to believe that
when I sat around that conference table with my colleagues at the White
House, the President meant what he said when he spoke of an immigration
system that encourages people to do a good job and to have a resolution
that is one of love. Well, I will tell all of my colleagues what I told
President Trump that day, once the cameras turned off and we had the
room to ourselves. I told him he had the political capital to spend;
that President Nixon was the ultimate anti-Communist, yet he was the
one who opened up China; that President Reagan was the most antitax
Republican ever elected, yet he ultimately saw the need to increase
rates. No one questions this President's harsh views on immigration,
which is precisely why he has the opportunity to do something big. During last week's bipartisan summit, the President said that if
Democrats and Republicans reached a deal, he would sign it. He told us
to develop a proposal, one that resolved the DACA challenge and
protected America's Dreamers and addressed tough issues like border
security, family reunification, and diversity visas. He gave us that
charge, and we came together and ran with it. A lot of hours were
spent--many more by our staff--hashing out the issues in search of
common ground, and finally we arrived at an agreement that I believe
Congress can and must send to the President's desk before it is too
late.
Keywords matched
immigration DACA border
security visas family reunification