Panetta says he won’t bargain DACA for wall

STRIKING A deal with House Republicans that would provide some funding for President Donald Trump's border wall in exchange for allowing "Dreamers" legal status is a nonstarter, said Congressman Jimmy Panetta, joining other Democrat leaders in rejecting the proposal.

Although the White House's announcement Tuesday to revoke President Barack Obama's 2013 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program was seen by GOP leaders as a catalyst for compromise on immigration reform, Panetta said any plan that would include helping pay for the roughly 2,000-mile wall is not an option he would entertain.

"I would not agree to bargaining the lives of these students who have come here, not on their own volition, and are contributing to our society," Panetta told The Pine Cone Wednesday. DACA was "the right thing to do" he said, "so why do we need to leverage to do the right thing?"

Obama instituted the executive order, which gave protection from deportation and work permits to young people who were brought into the country illegally by their parents. Of the estimated 800,000 DACA recipients in the country, about 20,000 Dreamers reside in Monterey County, Panetta said.

In a statement Tuesday supporting his decision, which gives Congress until March to work out a replacement for DACA, at which point the Dreamers would lose their work permits and be eligible for deportation, Trump said it's his "duty to defend the American people and the Constitution.

"At the same time, I do not favor punishing children, most of whom are now adults, for the actions of their parents," Trump said. "But we must also recognize that we are nation of opportunity because we are a nation of laws."

Panetta said he would be open to compromise with Republicans about what he called "smart border security," a "change in the visa process" and a "pathway to citizenship." On Thursday, the freshman congressman made a roughly 1- minute speech in support of DACA and its recipients on the House floor.

"Their mothers and fathers came to the Central Coast to work hard and contribute to the economies and communities in the Salad Bowl of the World, in the most scenic place in the world, so that their children could have the opportunity to live the American dream," Panetta said — a dream DACA would provide them "the opportunity to come out of the shadows and fulfill."

'Pass it soon'

He also called on his colleagues on Capitol Hill to pass the Dream Act, introduced in 2001 by Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin and Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch, but which for 16 years has failed to gain any traction. "We need to pass the Act as soon as possible," Panetta said.

"If the Dream Act was put on the floor of the House of Representatives, it would pass. And if it was put before the Senate, it would pass." In breaking news Thursday, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi announced to the press that Trump told her that he'd sign the Dream Act if it passed Congress.

The announcement to rescind DACA, made by United States Attorney General Jeff Sessions, sparked emotional outrage among many on the left, including Dublin Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell, who said it was "racist," and Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey, Jr., who called revocation of DACA "immoral." Panetta wouldn't go that far, but used another adjective to describe the move.

"Look, I just think that this type of decision is compassionless, and is basically pulling the rug out from these young men and women," Panetta said.

Concerning the legality of DACA, which Republicans have long questioned, Sessions called it unconstitutional and said it was a way for the executive branch "to achieve what the legislative branch specifically refused to authorize on multiple occasions."

Even Sen. Dianne Feinstein expressed doubt as to its legality this week, saying DACA is on shaky ground.

Panetta, an attorney, is also not sure of the program's Constitutionality. "I think the courts will make that decision," he said.

Asked why he opposes Trump's wall, which Republicans say would not only prevent more people from entering the country illegally, but would also reduce injuries and deaths related to such crossings, Panetta had this to say: "I think Democrats and Republicans are for border security, and of course we want border security, but we want it in a smart way and a technologically advanced way that protects the border and keeps people safe. But we want immigration reform, too, and all we've heard from the administration is ‘build a wall and Mexico is going to pay for it.'"

Meanwhile, on Sept. 9 at 10 a.m., Panetta will hold a press conference at Hartnell College in Salinas to discuss the decision to phase out DACA. Panetta will be joined by other DACA recipients enrolled at the college. Hartnell has 800 such students.