Trump Anticipated To End DACA As Early As Sept. 1

Sources say President Donald Trump will move to shut down the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, an Obama-era initiative designed to protect young immigrants from deportation.

Though reports say the end of DACA may come as early as Sept. 1, they also contend that Trump will allow young immigrants, sometimes known as “Dreamers,” to stay in the U.S. until their work permits expire.

Though Trump may be on the brink of ending the program, his base is reportedly riled over the president’s late action on the issue.

“This is something that he has absolutely turned his back on the base on,” said Chris Chmielenski, director of content and activism for NumbersUSA, according to McClatchy.

“I can’t say it enough,” he added. “He promised to do it and he has not done it yet.”

Ten states have given the White House an ultimatum on the issue: if the Trump administration does not disband DACA, then they will sue the U.S. government.

“He’s been advised that it’s in his political interest for him to be the one to make the decision to terminate the program because he’ll get the credit,” said one source who is up to speed on White House negotiations.

“And if it’s going to end anyway, why not take the credit for it?” the source added.

On the other side of the matter, 20 states, along with a number of advocacy groups, have pledged their opposition to ending DACA.

“We will not be pushed back into the shadows,” said Cristina Jiménez, executive director of United We Dream. “We’ll continue to rally and march to show Trump and Congress that they are here to stay.”

Certain members of the GOP who are involved in negotiating the end to DACA attest to Trump’s indecision on the matter.

“I think he’s genuinely conflicted on this and trying to figure it out,” said one Republican.

Indeed, Trump in February stated, “DACA is a very, very difficult subject for me.”

The president added at the time: “To me, it’s one of the most difficult subjects I have because you have these incredible kids, in many cases not in all cases. In some of the cases they’re having DACA and they’re gang members and they’re drug dealers too. But you have some absolutely incredible kids, I would say mostly.”

White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders acknowledged on Aug. 31 that the president had not yet made up his mind on whether to end DACA, or when he would end it.

“I’m not going to get ahead of something and be presumptuous when a decision hasn’t been made,” said Huckabee Sanders, according to CNN. “It would be disingenuous for me to create a false timeline … That hasn’t been fully reviewed and vetted and decided,” she said.

Sources: McClatchy, CNN / Featured Image: Gage Skidmore/Flickr / Embedded Images: Alisdare Hickson/Flickr, Fibonacci Blue/Flickr