Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch joined onto a Republican-led effort Monday that proposes rigorous vetting requirements for young immigrants to “earn the right to citizenship” over a 15-year period — a legislative fix that comes nearly three weeks after President Donald Trump’s decision to dissolve an Obama-era program serving as a protection against deportation.
“This is a bill that literally could pass, that could solve these problems, that could end the screaming and shouting that we’ve seen in our country over these issues and, in the end, provide a pathway for these really good people,” Hatch said during a news conference unveiling the Succeed Act.
The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program allows undocumented immigrants who came to the United States as children to legally obtain work permits and attend school.
In early September, Hatch called the president and urged him not to end it, fearing it would put DACA participants “in an extremely difficult place.”
“I agree with the president — we need tougher enforcement of our immigration laws, but we also need a real, permanent solution that recognizes the positive impact Dreamers have in our communities,” the Republican senator said after the administration’s announcement to phase out the program over the next six months.
Hatch was an original sponsor of the Dream Act in 2001, which did not pass but would have allowed undocumented students to pursue an education. He supports Congress drafting a replacement for DACA that would create “a path forward for our Dreamer population.”
The Salt Lake Tribune will update this story throughout the day.