Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), a prominent Gang of Eight member, said on Monday that he will support a “legislative solution” for DACA recipients if President Donald Trump ends former President Barack Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) executive amnesty.
“If President Trump chooses to cancel the DACA program and give Congress six months to find a legislative solution, I will be supportive of such a position,” Graham said in a statement. “I have always believed DACA was a presidential overreach. However, I equally understand the plight of the Dream Act kids who — for all practical purposes — know no other country than America.”
Graham said he is looking forward to working with Trump and his colleagues in Congress to “find a fair solution to this difficult problem.”
Graham—along with Sens. John McCain (R-AZ), Jeff Flake (R-AZ), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Michael Bennet (D-CO), and Dick Durbin (D-IL)—sponsored the Gang of Eight comprehensive amnesty bill that failed to pass Congress due to immense public pressure against it.
Gang of Eight Senators with the exception of Rubio have been vocal in support of a legislative solution for DACA recipients.
.@SpeakerRyan and @SenateMajLdr have the power to bring up the bipartisan #DREAMact I introduced with @LindseyGrahamSC. Let's get to work.
— Senator Dick Durbin (@SenatorDurbin) September 3, 2017
.@POTUS might end DACA and send thousands of DREAMers back into the shadows. This is the height of cruelty. We must #DefendDACA.
— Michael Bennet (@SenBennetCO) August 31, 2017
Ending DACA isn't just cruel, it also hurts our economy. DREAMers work hard, pay taxes, and are invaluable in our communities. #DefendDACA
— Michael Bennet (@SenBennetCO) August 31, 2017
We value the DREAMers in CO, and we stand with them to #DefendDACA
— Michael Bennet (@SenBennetCO) August 31, 2017
Ending #DACA would crush the dreams of a generation of immigrants. We can't sit idly by and let this happen. #DefendDACA
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) August 30, 2017
IF REPORTS ARE TRUE, Pres Trump better prepare for the civil rights fight of his admin. A clean DREAM Act is now a Nat Emergency #DefendDACA https://t.co/YhFQJJQV6N
— Senator Bob Menendez (@SenatorMenendez) September 4, 2017
McCain and Flake have also expressed support for a comprehensive amnesty bill in this Congress, with McCain telling the Arizona Republic that he thinks there are a lot of “deals” that can be made when he returns to the Senate.
“Immigration reform is one of the issues I’d like to see resolved,” McCain said in an interview last montt. “I’ve got to talk to him (Schumer) about when would be the best time. I think there are all kinds of deals to be made out there. I really do.”
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