Why Trump's immigration plan didn’t mention DACA or 'chain migration'


President Trump has abandoned some of his favorite immigration exaggerations — and picked up a few new ones.
On Thursday, Trump rolled out a new proposal for a "merit-based" immigration system, which pretty much everyone has admitted is just for optics. There's a very slim chance it'll make it through Congress, partly because it doesn't acknowledge Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals — one big thing that Democrats want to protect. Yet Trump seems to have a good reason for avoiding it and some other touchy topics.
Trump first rescinded the DACA program, which provides protection for undocumented people brought to the U.S. as children, back in 2017. Courts have continually blocked Trump's move, but he's expressed confidence that the ongoing legal battle will end up in his favor.
Subscribe to 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.
Also on Thursday, Trump noticeably dropped the "chain migration" rhetoric he's previously used to stoke fear around immigration. That's because the White House has apparently asked Republicans to stop using the controversial term, and Trump seemingly followed suit, The Washington Post reports.
Regardless of his language, Trump's Thursday announcement was still full of misleading claims about today's immigration situation. For example, the president declared that most border crossers make "frivolous claims" of asylum that mislead immigration authorities. That's a misinterpretation of the fact that even though a large chunk of asylum claims are denied, that doesn't mean the system declares their stories false. Trump also said his proposed system would quickly deport false asylum claimants, which ignores how immigration courts already face years-long backlogs.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.
-
July 19 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Saturday’s political cartoons include a Medicaid time bomb, and Donald Trump's fixation with the Fed's Jerome Powell
-
5 hilariously cutting cartoons about the Department of Education
Cartoons Artists take on being rotten to the core, budget cuts, and more
-
Kartoffelsalat (potato salad) recipe
The Week Recommends German dish is fresh, creamy and an ideal summer meal
-
President diagnosed with 'chronic venous insufficiency'
Speed Read The vein disorder has given Trump swollen ankles and visible bruising on his hands
-
'Bawdy' Trump letter supercharges Epstein scandal
Speed Read The Wall Street Journal published details of Trump's alleged birthday letter to Epstein
-
Fed chair Powell in Trump's firing line
Speed Read The president considers removing Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell
-
Trump trashes supporters over Epstein files
speed read The president lashed out on social media following criticism of his administration's Jeffrey Epstein investigation
-
Judge nixes wiping medical debt from credit checks
Speed Read Medical debt can now be included in credit reports
-
Grijalva wins Democratic special primary for Arizona
Speed Read She will go up against Republican nominee Daniel Butierez to fill the US House seat her father held until his death earlier this year
-
US inflation jumps as Trump tariffs 'bite'
Speed Read Consumer prices are climbing and the inflation rate rose to its highest level in four months
-
SCOTUS greenlights mass DOE firings
Speed Read The Supreme Court will allow the Trump administration to further shrink the Education Department