With Election Looming, Trump Hardens Stance Against ‘Dreamer’ Immigrant Program

U.S. President 👤Donald Trump’s administration, bolstering his tough 🛂Immigration stance in an election year, said on Tuesday it will reject any new applications for the so-called ‘Dreamer’ immigrant program and shorten the deportation protections of those whose eligibility is soon to expire.

A senior administration official said there would be a lengthy review of a Supreme Court ruling last month that found the administration had erred in the way that it had decided to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, in which some 644,000 immigrants are enrolled.

The administration said it would still consider ending the program, which shields from deportation hundreds of thousands of immigrants living in the United States illegally after entering as children – a group often called ‘Dreamers.’

Reuters was first to report the administration plan.

The review is likely to take at least 100 days, putting off any final decision on the program until after the Nov. 3 election in which Trump is fighting for a second term against Democrat Joe Biden.

As he attempts to close the gap with Biden in the polls, the timing gives Trump breathing room on a program that is popular among many Americans. At the same time, the steps to limit the deportation protections could help to drive up enthusiasm among his core supporters.

Asked at a news conference on Tuesday whether he was still considering a path to citizenship for DACA recipients, Trump said: “We are going to make… the DACA people and representatives happy, and we’re also going to end up with a fantastic merit-based Immigration