Both Sen. Nelson and Sen. Runio support DACA but in different ways
Both Florida Senators are in the pro-Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) camp. Yes, there is agreement from Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson and Republican Sen. Marco Rubio on crafting and supporting legislation that would protect the almost 780,000 undocumented immigrants who were born in the United States.
Sen. Nelson, who is likely to face Florida Gov. Rick Scott in a battle this fall, sounded optimistic about getting a deal done in the Senate and to President Trump’s desk to be signed.
“What you have is pretty much an ironclad commitment that if we don’t resolve this — and that’s what we’re going to try to do with the Graham bill — resolve the DACA issue by Feb. 8, the commitment is you go to the floor with a neutral bill, like a shell, and you let the Senate process work,” Nelson said
DACA is a major issue in the state of Florida and Rubio must walk a very fine line given that at this point in time President Donald Trump has no clear position on the issues. At one point two weeks he told a bi-partisan group at the White House in front of the television cameras that he wanted a “Bill that showed love.”
The rest is history as we know immigration hawks Stephen Miller who is a senior advisor to President Trump and White House Chief of Staff, Gen. John Kelly urged their boss to take a much harder line.
As he waited Monday afternoon President Trump broke his almost three-day silence to comment after the Senate voted to get the government back to work and to deal with immigration reform.
Trump said that with the government on the path to reopening, the administration would work on immigration legislation — but “only if it’s good for our country.”
“I am pleased that Democrats in Congress have come to their senses and are now willing to fund our great military, border patrol, first responders and insurance for vulnerable children,” Trump said. “As I’ve always said, once the government is funded, my administration will work towards solving the problem of very unfair illegal immigration. We will make a long-term deal on immigration if and only if it’s good for our country.”
Sen. Rubio was supportive of crafting new DACA legislation but has to be careful not to come off as opposing President Trump.
He took to morning television and a favorite stop for Sen. Rubio at the popular Fox and Friends Show.
Rubio said any legislation would have to include funding to build a wall for border security and a need to find “some permanent status” for those currently in DACA.
He is aware that there are some hard line Conservative members of the Republican controlled Senate that could cause him trouble as he tries to navigate his way through this legislative midfield.
Again quoting Sen. Rubio from his Fox and Friends appearance this morning. “That (DACA) is the deal. What has complicated it is people come forward and say ‘well I want citizenship,’ which Republicans and even the president has expressed an openness to but only if you deal with chain migration,” Rubio said.
Clearly, Sen. Rubio wants to find a way to be on the side of President Trump but that might be a challenge. But for now he is happy having the government back to work and getting down to legislating.
Quotes in this story came from Fox and Friends and NPR.