SOUTH BEND — Thursday’s failure of a bipartisan immigration bill that would have extended protections for “Dreamers” drew criticism from Notre Dame president the Rev. John I. Jenkins, who said he was “deeply disappointed.”
The Senate rejected a pair of immigration bills, including a bipartisan proposal that was crafted by moderate legislators from both sides of the aisle and a Republican measure backed by President Donald Trump.
The legislation would have provided funding for Trump’s border wall while also allowing children brought into the U.S. illegally to remain and eventually find a pathway to citizenship. It also would have narrowed protections for the parents of “Dreamers,” preventing them from being sponsored for citizenship.
But the White House deemed the bill unacceptable and Trump vowed to veto it if it made it to his desk. Ultimately, that won’t happen because it fell short of the 60 votes needed to move it forward, with a tally of 54-45.
The Republican bill backed by the White House, which would have increased deportation powers, ended the diversity visa and reduced family reunification measures also fell well short of the mark, with a vote of 39-60.
A pair of amendments also failed, leaving the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) plans unresolved. Trump revoked DACA protections in September 2017, setting a deadline of March 5 for the program to end. Since then, a pair of federal courts have blocked Trump from rescinding DACA and ordered the government to continue processing renewal requests.
In a statement, Jenkins said that for the DACA recipients at Notre Dame, the university will continue to provide financial assistance, maintain their enrollment and provide legal assistance if necessary.
“These young women and men have done nothing wrong and have known life only in the United States. The Dreamers who are enrolled at Notre Dame are also poised to make lasting contributions to the United States,” Jenkins said. “We pray that our leaders will end the cruel uncertainty for these talented and dedicated young people who have so much to offer our nation.”