White House talking points on the announcement ending the Obama-era policy that protects illegal immigrants who grew up in America suggested program recipients should get ready for “departure from the United States,” according to a report on Wednesday.
The Trump administration prepared a series of talking points sent to offices on Capitol Hill before Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the phasing out of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals on Tuesday.
One of the bullet points urged DACA recipients to prepare to leave the country, CNN reported.
“The Department of Homeland Security urges DACA recipients to use the time remaining on their work authorizations to prepare for and arrange their departure from the United States – including proactively seeking travel documentation – or to apply for other immigration benefits for which they may be eligible,” the cable news network reported, citing a copy of the memo.
The Trump administration ordered an end to the program, created by then-President Obama in 2012, that protects illegal immigrants brought to the US as children from deportation and gives them deferments to work and study in the US.
About 800,000 young immigrants – called “Dreamers” – are covered by the program.
President Trump said he has a “great heart” for the DACA recipients and gave Congress six months to enact immigration reform. He also said he may revisit the issue if Congress fails to act.
“Congress now has 6 months to legalize DACA (something the Obama Administration was unable to do). If they can’t, I will revisit this issue!” Trump wrote on Twitter late Tuesday.
Under the phase out of the program, the Department of Homeland Security will not issue new DACA permits but will process any applications received before the administration’s announcement on Tuesday.
It will also allow renewals of the two-year deferments set to expire by March 5, 2018, if applications are submitted within a month.
Unless Congress acts, DACA will be phased out by March 2020.
As recipients’ permits expire, DHS said they will no longer be “considered lawfully present in the US” and will become subject to deportation.
The White House referred questions to the DHS, which did not dispute the remarks included in the memo to CNN.
“As noted, we expect Congress to pass legislation so this will hopefully be a moot point,” DHS spokesman David Lapan said. “However, of course we would encourage persons who are in the country illegally to depart voluntarily, or seek another form of immigration benefit for which they might qualify.”
“No one has an entitlement to live in the United States illegally,” Lapan added.
“Individuals have an independent obligation to comply with the laws that Congress passes, in all contexts.”