U.S. Rep. Mike Coffman and 33 other House Republicans are pressing Speaker Paul Ryan to find a legislative solution for the 800,000 young immigrants living in the U.S. unlawfully who were brought here as children and are now in limbo after President Donald Trump’s decision to rescind their protected status.
“There’s no question,” the Aurora Republican told The Denver Post on Tuesday, “my heart is out to these young people who were brought here as children, who grew up here, who went to school here, who know no other country other than the United States.”
The group of GOP lawmakers sent a letter Tuesday to Ryan, who has said he does not see a need to act before March, the deadline Trump gave Congress to find a permanent solution for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients.
“We must pass legislation that protects DACA recipients from deportation and gives them the opportunity to apply for a more secured status in our country as soon as possible,” the lawmakers wrote in the letter. “Reaching across the aisle to protect DACA recipients before the holidays is the right thing to do.”
Now, this similar show of support from Republicans, including some from competitive House districts (like Coffman’s), complicates some of the end-of-the-year negotiations to keep the government open.
Some of the 34 signatories had already made the same request when they held a news conference last month.
Several House Democrats have said they won’t support a critical spending bill this month needed to keep the government open unless the issue is resolved.
Coffman said he is prepared to collect the 218 signatures he needs to force a vote on his so-called “BRIDGE Act,” that would extend protections for DACA recipients for three years, if March approaches and lawmakers have yet to find a permanent solution. He didn’t give a deadline for when that would be.
“I think that the time has come for us to deal with this issue,” he said. “The clock is really ticking. There is a March deadline to get this done. … I’m still optimistic that we are going to get something done.”
Coffman says he has been working with a bipartisan group of House members — known as the Problem Solvers Caucus — on a permanent solution to DACA recipients, but that a compromise on border security that Trump is requiring has been slow going.
“We’re trying to come to a bipartisan agreement,” he said. “It is more challenging than agreeing on the first part, (which is what to do about a permanent solution for DACA recipients).”
The House Republicans sent their letter while activists held several events Tuesday — they plan more this week — to push for a DACA vote before the Christmas break later this month.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Joe Amon, The Denver Post
Speaking for her 3 granddaughters at Manual High School, Rose Luella chants with students as immigrants, impacted individuals and community members marched to Tivoli Quad on Auraria Campus to defend the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program during a city wide walkout and rally at Auraria Campus downtown Denver.
Joe Amon, The Denver Post
Students, immigrants and supporters marched to Tivoli Quad on Auraria Campus to defend the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program during a city wide walkout and rally following the announcement that President Donald Trump would end the program.
Joe Amon, The Denver Post
Students, immigrants, impacted individuals and community members marched to Tivoli Quad on Auraria Campus to defend the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program during a city wide walkout and rally at Auraria Campus downtown Denver.
Joe Amon, The Denver Post
Randi Smith, a psychology teacher at Metro carries a sign for her students as students, immigrants, impacted individuals and community members marched to Tivoli Quad on Auraria Campus to defend the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program during a city wide walkout and rally at Auraria Campus downtown Denver.
Joe Amon, The Denver Post
Students listen to stories of parents and families as immigrants and impacted individuals marched to Tivoli Quad on Auraria Campus to defend the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program during a city wide walkout and rally at Auraria Campus downtown Denver.
Joe Amon, The Denver Post
Students, immigrants and impacted individuals marched to Tivoli Quad on Auraria Campus to defend the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program during a city wide walkout and rally at Auraria Campus downtown Denver.
Joe Amon, The Denver Post
Metro student 26 year old Victor Galvan speaking as students, immigrants and impacted individuals marched to Tivoli Quad on Auraria Campus to defend the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program during a city wide walkout and rally at Auraria Campus downtown Denver.
Joe Amon, The Denver Post
Tears begin after 17 year old DSST Cole senior Karla Nino spoke to the crowd. "It's too much, Too much of a struggle to keep struggling for someone to tell us we can't get an education, got to college, can't go to high school." Students, immigrants and impacted individuals that marched to Tivoli Quad on Auraria Campus to defend the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program during a city wide walkout and rally at Auraria Campus downtown Denver.
Joe Amon, The Denver Post
Students, immigrants and impacted individuals marched to Tivoli Quad on Auraria Campus to defend the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program during a city wide walkout and rally in September 2017 at Auraria Campus downtown Denver.
Joe Amon, The Denver Post
Fifteen year old 11th grader from DSST College View, Mario Esparca and his flag stands with students, immigrants and impacted individuals marched to Tivoli Quad on Auraria Campus to defend the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program during a city wide walkout and rally at Auraria Campus downtown Denver.
Joe Amon, The Denver Post
Ninth graders at DSST Cole 16 year old Julian Cadello comforts 15 year old Nancy Flores during the speeches as students, immigrants and impacted individuals marched to Tivoli Quad on Auraria Campus to defend the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program during a city wide walkout and rally at Auraria Campus downtown Denver.
Joe Amon, The Denver Post
Metro student Stephanie Martinez, 19, at Tivoli Quad on Auraria Campus to defend the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program during a city wide walkout and rally at Auraria Campus downtown Denver, CO.
Joe Amon, The Denver Post
Students, immigrants and impacted individuals marched to Tivoli Quad on Auraria Campus to defend the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program during a city wide walkout and rally at Auraria Campus downtown Denver on Sept. 5, 2017.
