"These aren't principles. This is red meat for xenophobic extremists."
So stated the National Immigration Law Center (NLIC) on Sunday evening after the White House issued a list of hardline policies it wants in exchange for making the Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program—known legislatively as the Dream Act—permanent.
"When you make an offer you know the other side simply cannot agree to, it is evidence that you don’t actually want a deal." —Marielena Hincapié, NLIC
Though undocumented immigrants who receive DACA protections have consistently said they would not stand for being used as "bargaining chips" in a legislative deal between Congress and President Donald Trump. And despite public posturing that he would "compromise" with Democratic lawmakers to pass a bipartisan solution, Trump's demands laid out Sunday night—including funding for a border wall, expanded detention policies, and increased restrictions on child refugees trying to seek asylum in the U.S.—make it clear the administration is interested only in riling up the Republican Party's anti-immigrant base.
Many saw Stephen Miller, a senior policy adviser to Trump and a staunch anti-immigrant xenophobe, as the chief architect of the proposal.
All you need to know, besides the fact that Stephen Miller wrote the WH immigration proposals, is that Sessions thinks they are “reasonable” https://t.co/eOP6STZb6R
— Joe Sudbay (@JoeSudbay) October 9, 2017
Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Tex.), vice chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, said that "Congress should reject this warped, anti-immigrant policy wish list. The White House wants to use dreamers as bargaining chips to achieve the administration's deportation and detention goals."
In a series of eleven tweets, the NLIC's executive director Marielena Hincapié explained everything wrong with the White House proposal:
1/Rather than “reasonable” & “commonsense as Sessions
— Marielena Hincapié (@MarielenaNILC) October 9, 2017
is calling this, these principles are a non-starter https://t.co/tD1su3I0Er https://t.co/8y3pCuyA8n
2/ Stephen Miller is at it again. Shows Trump's not in charge nor is Chief of Staff Kelly but once again his white nationalist staffers are https://t.co/oEsuRNuwAQ
— Marielena Hincapié (@MarielenaNILC) October 9, 2017
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3/ Just like other policies put forth by Miller these “principles” are amoral and fly in the face of everything we stand for as a nation https://t.co/DTNt9OKEXw
— Marielena Hincapié (@MarielenaNILC) October 9, 2017
4/ Basic tenet of a deal is offer & acceptance https://t.co/tPfTHmBYm3
— Marielena Hincapié (@MarielenaNILC) October 9, 2017
5/ When you make an offer you know the other side simply cannot agree to, it is evidence that you don’t actually want a deal https://t.co/7xYIrAITSk
— Marielena Hincapié (@MarielenaNILC) October 9, 2017
6/ Just when Trump has opportunity to do something people across the political spectrum have publicly come out to support: #DreamAct https://t.co/OZduWg9CiU
— Marielena Hincapié (@MarielenaNILC) October 9, 2017
7/ Trump gives into extremists on like Miller & Sessions, & to appease his base like those who went back to #Charlottesville this weekend https://t.co/1O682Do45M
— Marielena Hincapié (@MarielenaNILC) October 9, 2017
8/ Let's remember #DREAMAct is now needed because Trump decided to end #DACA https://t.co/Uu1zwHwrlQ
— Marielena Hincapié (@MarielenaNILC) October 9, 2017
9/ Signing the bipartisan #DreamAct should be straightforward
— Marielena Hincapié (@MarielenaNILC) October 9, 2017
& simple. Would give Trump credit for doing what is right for
the country https://t.co/reGuCDtYh2
9/ Signing the bipartisan #DreamAct should be straightforward
— Marielena Hincapié (@MarielenaNILC) October 9, 2017
& simple. Would give Trump credit for doing what is right for
the country https://t.co/reGuCDtYh2
11/ Time for Dems & Republicans to step up and pass a clean #DreamActNow https://t.co/xuikfGneLe
— Marielena Hincapié (@MarielenaNILC) October 9, 2017