Discussion Points for Punto Legal- February 7, 2018


1. DACA.

The Congress has less than a month to come up with a solution to the expiring Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. As you know, President Trump has set the program to expire on March 5th.

To talk about DACA and the possibility of a DREAM Act today, we have to break things down between the Senate and House of Representatives. In the Senate, there is an unprecedented two-year budget deal. Sadly, it contains no DREAM Act or any immigration relief. But-this is the good news– the Senate majority leader has promised Democrats that they would get a vote on a bipartisan DACA solution. Today he promised a vote again. The Senate is likely to begin that process next week. The Senate majority leader said plans to offer a shell bill that members can then amend their ideas on to. They’ll need to find 60 votes, meaning at least some members from both parties, in order to pass the final product.

Now let’s turn to the House of Representatives. It’s not clear what will happen in the House. Speaker Ryan has so far refused to make a similar promise as the Senate majority leader. Over the past few weeks, Democrats have retreated from their threat to shut the government down unless they got a DREAM Act. But, earlier to today, the House minority leader, Nancy Pelosi, spent six hours speaking on the House floor in support of a DREAM Act. She again threatened to shut the government down without a DREAM Act.

In short, DREAMers are in for a wild ride.

2. Salvadoran TPS.



