The leading Republican primary candidate for the Alabama Senate seat has no idea what DACA is
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At some point this weekend, President Trump is expected to announce his intention to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, an Obama-era policy that allows young immigrants who were brought to America illegally as children (colloquially known as DREAMers, after the protective DREAM Act) to avoid deportation and temporarily work and study in America. The country's top CEOs have expressed their concern about the decision, while Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg spent his evening arguing with commenters about the topic, but at least one person hasn't heard the news: Judge Roy Moore, the Republican primary frontrunner in the Alabama Senate race for Attorney General Jeff Sessions' vacated seat.
Moore replied "Pardon? The DREAMer program?" when asked by WVNN radio host Dale Jackson about the policy, The Washington Examiner reports:
JACKSON: "Yes, sir, the DACA/DAPA. You're not aware of what DREAMers are?"MOORE: "No."JACKSON: "This is a big issue in the immigration debate …"MOORE: "Why don't you tell me what it is Dale and quit beating around and tell me what it is."JACKSON: "I'm in the process of doing that Judge Moore."
After Jackson's explanation, Moore said that if elected he "would look at that program. I surely would. I think it needs to be looked at." The Washington Examiner deemed the exchange "the most cringe-worthy gaffe since Gary Johnson's 'And what is Aleppo?'" committed by the Libertarian presidential candidate last September.
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Moore will face Sen. Luther Strange (R-Ala.) in the Republican primary on Sept. 26.
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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
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