Trump didn't want to end DACA

According to reporting from the McClatchy Washington Bureau news service, President Trump really didn't want to scuttle the DACA program after having understood who these young people were.   As he realized that they were brought here as children, and as he thought about his own children and grandchildren . . . well, apparently that is the one way to get through to Trump's emotions that involve someone other than himself.

Although he had promised since the beginning of his campaign that he would issue an executive order on Day One, ending this DACA "amnesty" program, now he wanted to find a way to avoid deporting them.   What to do?

The weeks became months, and still Trump hadn't kept his promise.  Inside the White House, he was getting pressure from both sides.  Steve Bannon and Jeff Sessions urged him to end DACA;  but others, like Reince Priebus and Ivanka and Jared, were opposed.    The president kept delaying a decision.

Aboard Air Force One on the summer trip to Paris, Trump told reporters:  "It's a decision that I make and it's a decision that's very, very hard to make.  I really understand the situation now. I understand the situation very well. What I'd like to do is a comprehensive immigration plan. But our country and political forces are not ready yet."

Then more pressure came from outside, and the president could delay no longer.  Ten states' attorneys general were filing a lawsuit, calling Obama's executive order establishing DACA an unconstitutional over-reach of executive power.  As Attorney General, it would fall upon Jeff Sessions to defend  it in court.

According to the McClatchy article, Sessions told the president flatly that he would not defend DACA in court because he could not make the case that it is constitutional.   Sessions wanted Trump simply to get rid of the program.   Trump felt at that point that he had no choice.

Then Chief of Staff Kelly began working on a compromise:   set a date to end it, which meets the campaign promise;  but give Congress time to fix it.   Even if they don't come up with a solution, it then will be on them rather than on Trump himself.   Kelly got on the phone, lining up support from members of congress.

And, it seems, that's what Trump decided to do . . . and what he allowed Sessions to announce on Tuesday.

Except . . . . this is Donald Trump.   And chaos must reign.

In an unscripted moment before cameras himself, later in the day, Trump was asked about what this is going to do to the DACA young people.   He responded with several statements about how his "great love for the Dreamers" and how terrific they are.   And, rather than repeating his campaign rhetoric denouncing "amnesty," he called on Congress to "do something and hopefully come up with something good.  I think it's going to turn out all right."

He couldn't stop there though.   He had to add later in a tweet:   "Congress now has six months to legalize DACA. . . .  If they can't, I will revisit the issue!"

Does anyone, including Trump himself, know what he meant by that?  Obviously, he and Sessions are not in agreement.   In 2010 the House passed the Dream Act, but it died in the Senate, with Sen. Sessions leading the opposition.   Trump campaigned against anything that linked "Obama" and "immigrants" in the same sentence;  but now he seems to have had a change of -- dare I say? -- heart.  His last comment sends a signal that he will work to make sure the DACA kids are never deported.   But that is today.   We can't predict where his heart will be in six months -- or even whether he will still occupy the Oval Office.

Ralph

PS:   After some reflection, and even though it seems like a risky thing to say, I'm going to say it.  For the first time, I believe we're seeing a Trump decision be based on a moral principle, or at least a feeling for other people.   We may never see it again, but I think that's what we're seeing at this moment.