Trump rules out citizenship and amnesty, but says he wants to let DREAMers 'stay here'
President Trump said Thursday that he doesn't want to grant "amnesty" or "citizenship" to the recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, but he does want to let them "stay." "We're not looking at citizenship. We're not looking at amnesty. We're looking at allowing people to stay here," Trump said. He didn't elaborate on how his approach would differ from amnesty.
Though just last week Trump announced he was rescinding the program that protected immigrants who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children, this week he said his administration is "talking about taking care of people, people that were brought here, people that have done a good job and were not brought here of their own volition."
Despite Republicans' tweets indicating outrage and confusion over Trump's apparent deal over dinner with the Democrats to "enshrine the protections of DACA into law quickly," Trump swore Thursday he was "doing it in conjunction with the Republicans." "We have a very, very good relationship with a lot of people," he said.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Catch a clip of Trump's comments to reporters below. Becca Stanek
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Political cartoons for December 21Cartoons Sunday’s political cartoons include Christmas movies, AI sermons, and more
-
A luxury walking tour in Western AustraliaThe Week Recommends Walk through an ‘ancient forest’ and listen to the ‘gentle hushing’ of the upper canopy
-
What Nick Fuentes and the Groypers wantThe Explainer White supremacism has a new face in the US: a clean-cut 27-year-old with a vast social media following
-
Trump HHS moves to end care for trans youthSpeed Read The administration is making sweeping proposals that would eliminate gender-affirming care for Americans under age 18
-
Jack Smith tells House of ‘proof’ of Trump’s crimesSpeed Read President Donald Trump ‘engaged in a criminal scheme to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election,’ hoarded classified documents and ‘repeatedly tried to obstruct justice’
-
House GOP revolt forces vote on ACA subsidiesSpeed Read The new health care bill would lower some costs but not extend expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies
-
Hegseth rejects release of full boat strike footageSpeed Read There are calls to release video of the military killing two survivors of a Sept. 2 missile strike on an alleged drug trafficking boat
-
Trump vows naval blockade of most Venezuelan oilSpeed Read The announcement further escalates pressure on President Nicolás Maduro
-
Kushner drops Trump hotel project in SerbiaSpeed Read Affinity Partners pulled out of a deal to finance a Trump-branded development in Belgrade
-
Senate votes down ACA subsidies, GOP alternativeSpeed Read The Senate rejected the extension of Affordable Care Act tax credits, guaranteeing a steep rise in health care costs for millions of Americans
-
Abrego García freed from jail on judge’s orderSpeed Read The wrongfully deported man has been released from an ICE detention center