"We're Back at Square One"

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/01/schumer-daca-shutdown/551174/

‘We’re Back at Square One’

Encouraged by Senate Democrats’ push to protect young undocumented immigrants from deportation, immigration activists now feel defeated after an agreement to reopen the government without legislation addressing the issue.
Priscilla Alvarez 3:25 PM ET Politics


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“We’re back at square one,” said Cesar Vargas, the executive director of Dream Action Coalition, an immigrant advocacy group.

“Last week, I was moved to tears of joy when Democrats stood up and fought for progressive values and for Dreamers. Today, I am moved to tears of disappointment and anger that Democrats blinked,” said Frank Sharry, the executive director of the pro-immigrant America’s Voice, in a statement.

President Trump ended the DACA program—which shields undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as minors from deportation and allows them to work legally in the country—in September with a six-month delay, providing a window for lawmakers to find a legislative fix. The administration gave the program’s beneficiaries, whose work permits were set to expire between September and March, a month to apply for a two-year renewal. Some have already lost their permit: Each day, 122 DACA recipients lose their protections, according to the liberal Center for American Progress.

Immigration activists have cited the March 5 deadline as reason to agree on a legislative solution—and fast. While DACA recipients will not lose their protections en masse that date, they will begin to do so over the course of the subsequent months. (A recent court ruling allows DACA enrollees to apply for a two-year renewal, but does not require the administration to take new applications.)

“Congress votes on a 3 week CR w/out #DreamAct. Dems failed to fight & use their leverage to protect immigrant youth. A false promise to vote on immigration from Rs is not a strategy to win. We won’t be fooled. This vote means deportation. Won’t stop fighting!” said Cristina Jimenez, the executive director of United We Dream, the largest immigrant-youth organization in the country, on Twitter.

Vargas likened the Schumer-McConnell agreement to 2013 when the Senate eventually passed a comprehensive immigration bill, but fell flat in the House. “I see this as a repeat of 2013 where we’re going to have this fanfare of a possible immigration deal from the Senate, only to fail or linger in the House of Representatives,” Vargas said.