The clock is ticking for a deal on DACA, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) is taking the reins.
Sen. McCain will introduce a new bipartisan immigration bill Monday that he has crafted alongside Senator Christopher Coons, a Democrat from Delaware.
Their proposal is to provide a path to citizenship for Dreamers, citizens brought to the U.S. illegally as children. They need to have lived in the country since 2013. The plan will also order a study to identify specific security needs at the border.
The bill goes hand-in-hand with legislation crafted by both Republicans and Democrats in the House of Representatives that currently has an even split of 27 Republicans and 27 Democrats.
“Our legislation, which already has broad support in the House of Representatives, would address the most urgent priorities of protecting Dreamers, strengthening border security, alleviating the backlog in immigration courts, and addressing the root causes of illegal immigration. I’m grateful to Senator Coons for his leadership and hope our colleagues will support this effort to resolve the immediate challenges before us. It’s time we end the gridlock so we can quickly move on to completing a long-term budget agreement that provides our men and women in uniform the support they deserve,” Sen. McCain said.
What this bill does not include is funding for a border wall. That could be a tough sticking point with other Republicans and President Trump whose four pillars of immigration clearly outlined the need for a border wall.
The Senate has until Thursday to pass a budget to avoid a government shutdown and several have made it clear there's no deal without a plan for DACA.
“For months, I have been calling on my colleagues to complete a bipartisan budget agreement to lift the caps on defense spending and fully fund the military. While reaching a deal cannot come soon enough for America’s service members, the current political reality demands bipartisan cooperation to address the impending expiration of the DACA program and secure the southern border," Sen. McCain said.
