In 2013, a year after the Obama administration established the DACA program, I announced that I was working on legislation to provide a more stable way forward for these so-called Dreamers: young people who had been brought into this country illegally as children and who knew no other home.

As we continued to gather support for the legislation and the 2014 election neared, protesters from both sides of the debate descended on Richmond, Va., my hometown, for dueling rallies. Those from the left attacked me for blocking comprehensive reform because of my focus on Dreamers, while my friends on the right claimed I was promoting an amnesty.

Fast forward to today. The Trump administration has stated that the DACA program will end in six months unless Congress acts. What will Congress do?

As President Barack Obama himself acknowledged, DACA is an imperfect and temporary solution. Every two years Dreamers must renew their deferment from deportation and their work permit. And while DACA makes it possible for them to enroll in college, they remain barred from receiving federal financial aid. Even under DACA, the Dreamers never fully and legally integrate into our country.

Only Congress can fix this mess. It should do so by providing a path for law-abiding Dreamers to obtain a green card and ultimately, full citizenship.

In exchange for a much improved program for Dreamers, Congress should significantly increase America’s border security by funding additional personnel, technology and physical resources at our border. While President Trump’s “wall” has gotten all the political attention, much of the border can be secured more quickly and efficiently by other means. In addition, Congress should require the institution of a comprehensive biometric entry-exit system to prevent visa overstays.


I fear we are on the verge of the same thing happening again. Each day that passes without a deal increases the likelihood that Washington will ultimately do what it usually does: keep the status quo. At best, this would entail Congress authorizing the current DACA program with the same two-year renewals and uncertainty for Dreamers. In the meantime, Democrats and Republicans would continue to fight over border security with little or no progress to show for it.

While keeping the status quo would protect the Dreamers from immediate deportation, it would represent a missed opportunity of tremendous proportions for them, for border security and for broader immigration reform.

It is well past time for Republicans to stand up to those on the right who are quick to denounce any sensible solution as amnesty and for Democrats to stand up to those on the left who rail against any meaningful steps toward border security and immigration enforcement.

The fate of the Dreamers presents a unique opportunity for both parties to do just that. If they do, we may well look back on this as the beginning of the end of the immigration wars.

https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/09/1...ww.google.com/

Hopefully, there are still republicans like him in the house .