Paul calls for bipartisan DACA solution

Republican Sen. Rand Paul (Ky.) on Tuesday called for bipartisan congressional collaboration to replace or fix the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals immigration (DACA) policy, shortly after the Trump administration announced its decision to end the program.

In a series of tweets, Paul said that the Obama-era order “was illegal,” but the overarching problem calls for a “bipartisan” solution.

President Obama’s executive order was illegal. However, this is a real problem we should solve in a bipartisan fashion. #DACA

— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) September 5, 2017

The Kentucky senator added that “there are ways” to protect the deportation of undocumented immigrants who were brought to the country as minors and sought work permits.

There are ways to make sure people who have been here for many years since childhood are allowed to stay.

— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) September 5, 2017

We should include efforts to reduce and reform immigration in other areas at the same time. Congress will need to address this problem.

— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) September 5, 2017

{mosads}

Paul’s tweets come shortly after Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that the Trump administration will end the program.

“The program known as DACA that was effectuated under the Obama administration is being rescinded,” Sessions said during a press briefing at the Justice Department, closing the door on new applications from people who hope to be DACA recipients and phasing out the program’s protections provided to current recipients over the next six months.

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, including House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), have urged Trump to amend the program, rather than doing away with it entirely.