White House

Trump Administration Won't Immediately End Immigrant Protections

The Trump administration appears to be backing off a campaign promise to immediately end former President Barack Obama's program to protect young immigrants from deportation.

White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer says that for now the administration will focus on criminal immigrants in the country illegally.

"First and foremost the president has been very, very clear that we need to direct agencies to focus on those who are in this country illegally, and have a record – a criminal record – or pose a threat to the American people," Spicer said.

Spicer said Monday in his first official press briefing that "for now, that's not ... the focus is going to be on people who have done harm to our country." He had been asked about the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

DACA has protected more 750,000 young immigrants from deportation and offered those same immigrants work permits.

Spicer says Trump is instead focused on enforcement efforts on criminal immigrants and those who have overstayed their visas.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
Contact Us