DACA citizenship-border wall compromise bill unveiled

Washington, June 15: US House Republicans have unveiled a draft immigration bill that would overhaul the country’s legal immigration system, boost border security, overturn rules that govern family separation at the border and provide a path to citizenship for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients. The draft bill, which was unveiled on Thursday night after weeks of behind-the-scenes negotiations among moderates, conservatives and House leadership, represents the most concrete step yet House Republicans have taken to tackle immigration even as the party faces long odds for the bill ever becoming law, reports CNN.

The bill, which reflects Donald Trump’s desire to address “four pillars” of immigration, includes $25 billion for border security including the President’s wall, an end to the diversity visa lottery, cuts to family-based visas and a path to citizenship for DACA recipients through a programme that would be a merit-based point system and would allow other immigrants to attain permanent status. The cut visas would be reallocated to accommodate the new green card system and more employment-based visas.

Meanwhile, Democrats have also already expressed concerns, CNN reported. “It’s a pretty terrible bill... Whether they want to call it a bridge or a path to citizenship, I think it’s fake...,” said Pete Aguilar, a California Democrat. The bill also includes a host of other Trump administration priorities, such as allowing for the lengthy detention of undocumented immigrations awaiting deportation. The bill would also address a growing concern on the border: the separation of parents from their children. (IANS)