WH Chief Of Staff Says He Doubts Trump Will Extend DACA Deadline
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WASHINGTON, D.C. (CBSMiami) -- It looks like President Donald Trump does not plan on extending legal protections and work permits for dreamers.
White House Chief of Staff John Kelly said Tuesday the president is not expected to extend the March 5th deadline to renew those protections and permits, according to the Washington Post.
"I doubt very much," Kelly told them during an interview in the U.S. Capitol.
Kelly also said he's not sure the president has the authority to extend protections for the nearly 700,000 undocumented immigrants protected by DACA, or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, since it's not based on law.
This is a move that puts pressure on lawmakers trying to come up with a solution in the immigration debate on both sides of the aisle.
President Trump announced he would end DACA protections in September, giving lawmakers until March 5th to come up with a solution to grant permanent protections to dreamers.
Last month, a federal court ordered the Department of Homeland Security to continue accepting DACA applications.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions has since appealed the court ruling. Unless a high court rules on the legality of DACA, the Department of Homeland Security will still have to renew immigrants DACA status.
Trump has unveiled a four-part plan that would legalize 1.8 million dreamers - more than the actual number protect under the program in present day.
Since the Obama-era DACA program began in 2012, about 800,000 people have applied for and received legal protection and work permits.
