Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced Tuesday that the Trump administration is ending the Obama-era DACA program.
His big quote: "We cannot admit everyone who would like to come here. That is an open border policy and the American people have rightly rejected it... it's just that simple."
Reaction from the nationalist right, per a source close to the White House: "In one amazing press conference, Jeff Sessions lit up the entire institutional left, the mainstream media and probably caused a couple tears to hit the floor from some West Wing Democrats."
Leadership reactions:
- House minority Leader Nancy Pelosi: "The president's cruel and heartless decision to start deporting DREAMers in six months demands an immediate response from the Republican Congress. Speaker Ryan and the Republican House leadership must bring the DREAM Act to the floor for a vote without delay."
- House Speaker Paul Ryan: "President Obama's DACA program was a clear abuse of executive authority, an attempt to create law out of thin air... It is my hope that the House and Senate... will be able to find consensus on a permanent legislative solution that [ensures]... those who have done nothing wrong can still contribute as a valued part of this great country."
- Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer: "The human and economic toll of rescinding DACA will be far reaching and Democrats will do everything we can to prevent President Trump's terribly wrong order from becoming reality."
- As of noon Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has yet to issue a statement.
Key excerpts from Sessions' statement:
- "The executive branch, through DACA, deliberately sought to achieve what the legislative branch specifically refused to authorize... such an open-ended circumvention of immigration laws was an unconstitutional exercise of authority."
- "The nation must set and enforce a limit on how many immigrants we admit each year and that means all can not be accepted.
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