House Speaker Paul Ryan praised the President’s decision to have Congress decide the fate of those participating in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program and said he believed there was a compromise that both linked the fate of undocumented workers with border security.
“I think it’s totally reasonable and appropriate that when you take a look at the DACA dilemma — this is a dilemma that in large part stems from the fact that it is a symptom of a larger problem, and the larger problem is that we do not have control of our borders,” Ryan told reporters after meeting with House GOP members. “So it’s only reasonable and fitting that we also address the root cause of the problem — which is borders that are not sufficiently controlled — while we address this very real and very human problem that’s right in front of us.”
President Donald Trump campaigned on the promise that he would build a border wall, but the speaker never mentioned the word “wall” and instead focused on beefing up security along the southwest border.
In advance of Trump’s decision Tuesday, Ryan had asked Trump not to scrap the program. Speaking on his hometown radio station WCLO in Janesville, Wisconsin, last Friday, Ryan said Congress was working on a legislative fix to preserve the program.
“I actually don’t think he should do that,” Ryan said of Trump’s then-consideration of ending the program. “I believe that this is something that Congress has to fix.”
Pressed if those DACA recipients would see a solution in the next six months, Ryan said Wednesday, “I think people should rest easy” but emphasized “there is a compromise to be had here.”
“President Trump was right in his decision. He made the right call. I’m also encouraged by the fact that he gave us time to work out a consensus, to find a compromise because these kids, don’t, for the most, don’t know any other home than the United States,” the speaker said. “So I think the President was right to give us the time we need to find that compromise.”
Ryan also made it clear they would not move anything unless it had the support of Trump.