Alabama Senate candidate defends not knowing DACA: ‘People don’t care about acronyms’

The leading Republican candidate in Alabama’s Senate primary, Roy Moore, defended himself on Friday for his ignorance about the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, saying “people don’t care about acronyms.”

“People don’t care about acronyms,” a Moore campaign spokeswoman told The Washington Post. “They want the border secured, and President Trump and Roy Moore will get that done.”

In comments that surfaced this week, Moore said during a July 11 radio interview that he did not know what the DACA program is. Moore, a former state Supreme Court justice, was asked about both DACA and so-called “Dreamers,” or the individuals affected by the similar Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act.

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Moore’s campaign also sought to tie Moore to the president’s immigration and border-protection views, even though Trump endorsed Moore’s opponent Luther Strange (R-Ala.) last month.

“These are the same tactics the career politicians and liberal media used against President Trump, trying to trap in Washington-speak,” Moore’s spokeswoman said. “Judge Moore doesn’t speak the language of Washington. He speaks the language of the Constitution.”

She added that Moore “opposes amnesty under any name.”

DACA, an initiative launched by former President Obama, temporarily exempts from deportation undocumented individuals brought to the U.S. as minors who applied for work permits. Trump is expected to make an announcement on whether he is retaining the controversial immigration program next week.