Flake floats Dreamers extension

By SEUNG MIN KIM and BURGESS EVERETT

02/08/2018 10:56 AM EST

Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) is preparing a fallback measure that would extend Obama-era legal protections for young undocumented immigrants paired with some border security funding if Congress fails to come up with a broader agreement on so-called “Dreamers.”

That result is one few on Capitol Hill want, yet may become reality as lawmakers struggle to reach a broader immigration deal that satisfies the Trump administration yet garners sufficient support from congressional Democrats.

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In a pen-and-pad with reporters Thursday morning, Flake said he believes Democrats would ultimately back a legislative punt on Dreamers, “if it comes to that.”

Still, “that would be considered a failure by all of us to not do something permanent now,” Flake said. “This has been far too long for us and others to wait. But I do think, in the end, they would take that.”

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is preparing an open, freewheeling floor debate on immigration next week — a process that has no guaranteed outcome. Amendments will be submitted Monday to a bare-bones base bill.
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In addition to the fallback measure, Flake said he is preparing a more “fulsome” plan that addresses President Donald Trump’s policy demands on immigration: status for Dreamers, restrictions to family-based immigration laws, a ban on the diversity visa lottery and increased border funds.

Trump gave lawmakers until March 5 to pass legislation that would protect Dreamers and grant them the ability to work. But the administration and congressional Republicans have demanded more restrictive policies in exchange.
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The early March deadline is also much more flexible due to a court order that has ordered the administration to take renewal applications from immigrants who’ve already obtained permits from the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. Yet lawmakers still feel some sense of urgency to act as Dreamers remain in legal limbo, and the midterm political season heats up.

“A lot of Democrats, a lot of the base, from what I hear is just saying: ‘Forget it. Wait for the midterms,'” Flake said. “It’s not as if we hold all the cards here as Republicans.”

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