Trump ally: ‘We’re better’ than punishing ‘Dreamers’

Rep. Chris Collins (R-N.Y.), a key ally of President Trump on Capitol Hill, said Thursday that the United States is “better than” punishing so-called Dreamers and that he supports a pathway to citizenship for young people brought to the U.S. illegally as children.

“I believe we’re better than that. We are a compassionate country,” Collins told CNN’s “New Day” when asked about members of the GOP who support a tougher stance on immigrants in the country illegally, specifically Dreamers.

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“I know, I come from a big dairy area, and also add where the undocumented workers — that’s what I call them, I don’t want to call them illegal immigrants, I prefer the term undocumented workers — are working hard. They’ve been there in some cases for well over 10 years, raising their families. We need to recognize that.” 

Collins’s comments come after Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced Tuesday that the administration would phase out the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, giving Congress six months to act.

Later on Tuesday, Trump tweeted that he would revisit his decision to end DACA if Congress didn’t act.

Then, on Thursday, Trump tweeted that individuals who fall under DACA “have nothing to worry about” during the next six months, adding that there would be “no action” during that period of time.

Collins was the first member of Congress to endorse Trump during the Republican primary and his comments add pressure to a Republican Congress reluctant to take up immigration.

The program deferred deportation for people were brought to the United States illegally as minors and allows them to pursue work permits.