Judge vindicate Trump on DACA by Don Frost

            It’s amusing to watch Democrats, “liberals,” the media, and others on the Left scramble to do what Donald Trump pleaded with them to do four years ago, all the while pretending it was their idea in the first place. The unadorned hypocrisy is a treat, if only it did not so tragically affect so many innocent people.

            In 2012 Barack Obama decided he didn’t like a particular clause in America’s immigration laws. That clause held that children brought into this country illegally by their parents remain illegal immigrants and were, thus, subject to deportation even if they’d been living in America for 10 or even 20 years.

            Accordingly, Obama said we’re just going to ignore the law and declare these kids – now adults – are legal, at least for the moment. This is Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). Those illegal immigrants affected by this program are called Dreamers. However, the Constitution is clear: Congress makes laws, not the president.

            A federal judge, Andrew Hanen, recalled that most basic provision learned back in high school civics classes all over America. He ruled, in a suit brought by nine states, that Obama overstepped his authority – as specified in the Constitution – by circumventing Congress in implementing DACA, which is, in effect, a law.

            “Furthermore,” Hanen wrote, “the government has no legitimate interest in the continuation of an illegally implemented program.” He also said, as did Trump, that Congress must act if the U.S. wants to provide DACA protection for those who are – in the absence of Congressional action – illegal immigrants.

            Champions of illegal immigration are, of course, outraged. Finally, after nine years, one of those champions, President Biden, is joining Trump in urging Congress to act, to make DACA legal. “Only Congress can ensure a permanent solution by granting a path to citizenship for Dreamers,” he said in a statement.

            He also claimed, without specifying when, “I have repeatedly called on Congress to pass the American Dream and Promise Act, and I now renew that call with the greatest urgency.”

            He’s a bit tardy in recognizing urgency on this matter. Back in 2017 when Trump challenged Congress to make DACA legal they ignored him. At the time Congress was the playground of the likes of Nancy Pelosi in the House and Chuck Schumer in the Senate, both of whom were united in their determination to deny Trump any kind of legislative victory, even to the detriment of one of their favorite causes. Also, they preferred to vilify him on immigration as mean-spirited, xenophobic, and a racist.

            Not so. At that time Trump tweeted, “Congress, get ready to do your job – DACA . . . Congress now has 6 months to legalize DACA. If they can’t, I will revisit this issue!”

            He was simply stripping Congressmen of their political cover, telling each of them, almost literally, “If you’re as fond of DACA as you say you are, go ahead and make it legal, because we’re not going to continue abiding by this illegal program.”

            By virtually shouting that he would “revisit the issue,” he was stating that he approved of DACA and would sign Congress-passed legislation that fulfilled the “deferred” part of DACA. But with Pelosi and Schumer calling the Congressional shots there was no way a “revisit” by Trump would go anywhere. The matter died a Congressionally decreed death.

            So for four years Democrats have been dragging their feet on DACA. Now that a judge is forcing their hand; now that a Democrat is president; now, with the media’s help, everyone will have forgotten this was Trump’s idea, perhaps they’ll finally get around to doing what Trump dared them to do four years ago.