Trump Links the Border Wall to DACA Immigrants

President Trump, in a tweet Friday, made explicit the link between building the border wall with Mexico and protecting the DACA immigrants from deportation. 

“The Democrats have been told, and fully understand, that there can be no DACA without the desperately needed WALL at the Southern Border and an END to the horrible Chain Migration & ridiculous Lottery System of Immigration etc,” Trump tweeted. “We must protect our Country at all cost!”

What the media has yet to realize is that this is over, it can’t be any other way. This reflects exactly the immigration debate in America, and it is a done deal.

Here’s why.

Republicans have a deep-seated fear (that I share), that if we give amnesty to illegal immigrants, then they will pour across the border thinking they will eventually be forgiven and become U.S. citizens. This is a well-justified fear since President Reagan gave amnesty to about 3 million illegal immigrants, and now we have between 10 and 20 million illegals (depending on who you ask).

This is a genuine danger to America, the risk of being flooded with immigrants who won’t assimilate and who become a “slave culture” of sorts, is real. They have no rights and are easily and frequently abused. While in most cases they are willing to take the risk and put up with the abuse because the salaries they get are several times what they can earn in their own countries, and a hope of becoming American with all of our rights, this is a huge black mark on America society, and a risk to American culture. Many note that this has all of the characteristics of a kind of “invasion” 

With the border wall, much of this fear is alleviated. (Note: The “wall” is not just the physical barrier, its several layers of security, including physical, electronic and administrative). 

DACA immigrants are those who were brought to America at an early age, and, although illegal, have never known any country other than America. Since the Hispanic community generally votes Democratic, the Democrats would love to have them legalized and able to vote.

Because of our (well-justified) fear, Republicans will not consider any action that will encourage new illegals to come across what is essentially a non-existent border.  But if Republicans don’t have to worry about a flood of immigrants, we can afford to be more compassionate with the DACA immigrants.

In effect, if the wall is built, the fear goes away and the whole narrative changes. Republicans will lose their fear, and move to either a compassionate position or a “don’t care” position with respect to the DACA immigrants. 

Trump sees this very clearly. He understands the Republican fear, and has compassion for the DACA immigrants. His best option has always been to force the wall through the political quagmire, which he is more than capable of doing, and then relent on DACA.

When I say this is a done deal, I’m saying it is the only possible outcome. In fact, I believe it is safe to say that the DACA immigrants were NEVER in danger of being deported under a Trump administration.

Sometimes the “art of the deal” works like it is supposed to.