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Immigration groups are increasingly doubtful President Trump will end President Obama's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program after the Department of Homeland Security announced last week that recipients of the Obama-era program were safe for the unforeseen future.

Four national organizations representing a variety of immigration stances told the Washington Examiner the White House has been silent on the issue, and has not told even the groups that support Trump how it plans to go forward. That silence, according to two groups who supported Trump's immigration positions as a candidate, indicates the idea of DACA reform is not stalled, but dead.

"If the president had decided to end DACA, it would have happened. I don't know what they are waiting for. He promised to end DACA," said Rosemary Jenks, director of government relations for NumbersUSA. "Once you say something is illegal and unconstitutional, you can't just keep doing it."

New data from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services' second fiscal quarter shows 107,524 DACA renewals and 17,275 new applications were approved from January to March, approximately 70 percent of which happened under the Trump administration.

While campaigning last year, Trump promised to "immediately terminate" the 2012 policy that permitted illegal immigrants who entered the U.S. as minors to receive a two-year period of deferred action and work permit. Recipients' approval would last two years and could be renewed if the individual remained in good legal standing.

As a candidate, Trump blasted the "amnesty" program that former President Barack Obama's second term Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson imposed by memo because Congress could not pass comprehensive immigration reform.

Shortly after his inauguration, Trump appeared to be wavering in his commitment to rescinding DACA. He told one news outlet that recipients "shouldn't be worried" because "we're going to take care of everybody."

Then in April, Trump reiterated that compassionate view when he said "we need special heart" to "understand the other side of that equation" as it relates to DACA recipients.

But last Thursday, DHS Secretary John Kelly said DACA would remain in place while its 2014 sister program, Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents, would end before it had even begun. The Trump administration revoked the parental program, though it was never implemented, because there was "no credible path forward to litigate the currently enjoined policy" due to its current entanglement in the courts.

Last week, a White House official told the New York Times "there has been no final determination made about the DACA program, which the president has stressed needs to be handled with compassion and with heart."

When asked about a timeline for Trump's deciding the fate of DACA, the White House referred the Washington Examiner to a two-month-old interview it conducted with Trump in which he said "we need special heart."

Trump has some choices he could make related to the program. He could direct DHS to immediately stop issuing renewals and new permits, or announce the program will be discontinued at a future date, giving people time to come up with a plan for how to respond.

But Kelly has said the issue should be taken up by Capitol Hill lawmakers because "Congress is the only entity that can provide a long-term solution to this issue."

Other groups agree with Kelly.

"Though I was initially skeptical, it might even make sense to try to trade a real, lawful amnesty for the DACAs in exchange for important immigration changes only Congress can pass specifically, universal E-Verify and cuts in legal immigration. In that case, announcing that renewals would continue until, say, the end of the year could be a powerful motivator for congressional Democrats," writes Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies, which supports conservative-aligned immigration reforms.

Read more:
Immigration groups: Trump's silence on DACA means it's here to stay - Washington Examiner

President Donald Trump on Wednesday night held a campaign-style rally in Iowa, where he congratulated the Republican winners of Tuesday's special elections in South Carolina and Georgia. Also, he sent his well wishes to Rep. Steve Scalise, who was injured in last week's shooting in Alexandria, Virginia.

In a noteworthy policy-related portion of his comments, Trump announced his intention to pursue legislation that would bar immigrants from being eligible for welfare for at least five years after arriving in the U.S.

It's unclear how Trump's desired legislation would differ from the status quo.

Trump said "the time has come" for "new immigration rules" that would require those seeking admission to the country to be able to support themselves financially. He said he will be "putting in legislation to that effect very shortly."

And he brought up his plans for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.

"We are thinking about building a wall as a solar wall," he said. "So it creates energy. And pays for itself. And this way, Mexico will have to pay much less money. And that's good, right? Is that good? You are the first group I've told that to. It makes sense. Let's see. We are working it out. Solar wall panels. Think of it, the higher it goes, the more valuable it is. Pretty good imagination, right? My idea. We have a good shot. That's one of the places where solar really does work. At the tremendous sun and heat. We will see what happens."

The president also commented on Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross' presence at the rally, noting that he wants rich people, not "poor" people, in positions of power on economic issues in his administration. In January, Forbes reported that Ross, an asset investor, is worth $2.5 billion.

"These are people that are great, brilliant business minds," Trump said. "That's what we need. That's what we have to have, so the world doesn't take advantage ... We can't have the world taking advantage of us anymore. And I love all people - rich or poor - but in those particular positions, I just don't want a poor person. Does that make sense? ... If you insist, I'll do it, but I like it better this way."

He kicked off the rally, at the U.S. Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids, saying, "It is great to be back in the incredible, beautiful state of Iowa. It's always terrific to be able to leave that Washington swamp and spend time with the truly hard working people we call American patriots, truly amazing people."

Trump added that Handel will target "tax cuts, reducing crime, securing that Second Amendment, and that looks like it's in great shape with Judge [Neil] Gorsuch," Trump's appointee to the Supreme Court.

According to the Georgia secretary of state, Handel beat Democrat Jon Ossoff, 52.13 percent to 47.87 percent. In South Carolina's 5th Congressional District, Norman got 51 percent of the vote, defeating Democrat Archie Parnell, who had roughly 48 percent.

At the rally, Trump said of Scalise, "I would like to take this moment to send out thoughts to our courageous friend Steve Scalise and everyone recovering from the assault."

He continued, "So to Steve, we say ... we're praying for you, we're pulling for you. You have our full support ... and our gratitude tonight goes out as well to the Capitol Police.

Trump called for unity, and he reminded supporters to be wary of the mainstream media, which his administration "will never be intimidated by," in its efforts to "make America great again."

After a number of criticisms of the press, he reminded the crowd of his administration's many accomplishments, saying of prior administrations, "Very few have done what we've done."

He noted the 38 bills that have been enacted since he took office, later changing the number to 39, and said that while "some of them are really big," the most significant ones, such as on health care reform and the "largest tax cut in the history of the United States of America," are yet to come.

The successes Trump highlighted at the rally included toughening law enforcement, stepping out of the Paris Climate Agreement, appointing Gorsuch and working alongside China.

In closing, he again criticized the media and emphasized how significant his accomplishments have been, given the "phony witch hunts" conducted against him.

He repeated his call for increased bipartisanship in Congress, saying, "It would be great if the Republicans and the Democrats could come together," adding that Democrats "need to be positive" and "can't continue to be obstructionist."

Trump touted his accomplishments in Saudi Arabia, then thanked the citizens of Iowa for their continued support and exited the arena.

Before the rally, Trump visited Kirkwood Community College to get briefed on agricultural technology being developed there. Among the machines he saw was a combine simulator, a virtual way to practice using a combine. Afterward, he told reporters that he "just learned more about farming than I ever thought I'd learn."

ABC News' Jordyn Phelps contributed to this report.

Continued here:
Trump talks immigration reform, border wall at Iowa rally - WLS-TV

On the campaign trail, Republicans, led by President Donald Trump, ran on a platform of tougher immigration laws. Next week the U.S. House of Representatives will take up two measures that will address aspects of immigration reform, according to Politico.

One of the pieces of legislation is Kate's Law, which increase penalties for individuals who attempt to reenter the United States after having been deported.

Kate Steinle was killed last year in San Francisco by a person who been deported multiple times and continually returned to the U.S. As Politico notes, Trump mentioned Steinle's death often while campaigning.

The other piece of legislation to be considered addresses sanctuary cities. This legislation would lead to stricter penalties for localities that do not work with federal officials on enforcing national immigration laws.

Politico reports that the law, written by Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), would require municipalities to comply with federal officers to keep immigrants imprisoned in order to be held until they can be picked up for deportation.

Read the original here:
House to address immigration reform next week - Independent Journal Review

The State

Immigration activist praises South Carolina during forum The State Ali Noorani, the executive director of the Washington-based National Immigration Forum, discussed coalition-building to address immigration reform at a roundtable discussion Thursday at Greenville Technical College. The luncheon brought together ...

Excerpt from:
Immigration activist praises South Carolina during forum - The State

June 20, 2017

Informed discussion and smart immigration policies are needed as policymakers and leaders in senior living and long-term care increasingly see lawful and undocumented immigrants as a solution to workforce needs, according to a new research brief by PHI Vice President of Policy Robert Espinoza.

Approximately 860,000 immigrants are employed as direct-care workers in home- and community-based settings, assisted living facilities, group homes, intermediate care facilities, nursing care facilities and hospitals, according to the brief. Added to the number of nursing assistants, personal care aides and home health aides hired directly by families, the total becomes 1 million, meaning that immigrants make up about 25% of the direct care workforce, Espinoza said, and in California, Florida, Hawaii, New Jersey and New York, more than 40% of direct care workers are immigrants.

Most immigrants who are direct care workers are women, and their median annual income is $19,000, according to the brief. Additionally, this segment of the workforce experiences high poverty rates and relies largely on public benefits to survive, Espinoza wrote.

The study is part of PHI's #60CaregiverIssues educational campaign focused on the growing workforce shortage in direct care.Espinoza said the research on immigrants is meant to be a starting point for understanding this sector and that future research will present ideas for potential policy reforms.

Congressmen weigh in

At least two congressmen appear to be among those open to immigration reform to assist senior living and long-term care providers.

Rep. John K. Delaney (D-MD) and Rep. James B. Renacci (R-OH) discussed the topic at the National Investment Center for Seniors Housing & Care fall meeting in 2015.

If you go through the various cases for comprehensive immigration reform in this country, which I think is very compelling, certainly this industry and the healthcare industry in general is an industry that would benefit enormously from it, Delaney said at the time, answering a question from NIC CEO Robert Kramer.

In general, Delaney said, immigrants are good for the healthcare system because they are paying more into the Medicare program than they are taking out, whereas nonimmigrants are taking more out of Medicare than they are putting in. Immigrants could aid Social Security in a similar way, he said. I think this industry should be big supporters, proponents and cheerleaders for immigration reform, because it makes good financial sense for the system, Delaney said.

Renacci said that immigrants could play an important role in replacing retiring citizens in the workforce and also in caring for those retired workers. How are we going to take care of the aging population going forward, when we know that we don't have growth in that younger workforce? he said. Some of it's going to have to be through immigration.

The rest is here:
Immigration reform would benefit senior living: research brief - McKnight's Senior Living