The White House said Friday that President Trump will now make an announcement Tuesday on whether to scrap the Obama-era deportation amnesty that’s protecting some 800,000 illegal immigrants.
“We’re in the process of finalizing that decision,” press secretary Sarah Sanders said “We’ll announce that Tuesday.”
Mr. Trump is facing a Sept. 5 deadline for a decision on whether to phase out the 2012 amnesty or mount an uphill battle to defend it in court. Texas has said it will file a challenge unless the president agrees to end the program.
Mrs. Sanders woulnd’t tip the president’s hand, saying the decision is still being made. She deflected questions about the president’s views of the program’s legality.
But earlier in the day Mr. Trump had said he had a “great feeling for DACA.”
DACA is the government name for the 2012 deportation amnesty that gives young adult illegal immigrant “Dreamers” a temporary stay of deportation and issues them work permits, giving them a foothold in society.
The program was implemented by executive action under Mr. Obama. A later Obama amnesty, known as DAPA, has already been ruled illegal and legal analysts say there’s little change DACA could survive a challenge with the DAPA ruling as precedent.
• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.
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