Young: 'Nothing's More Important' Than Giving DACA Recipients Certainty

U.S. Sen. Todd Young said he supports a “path to legal status” for DACA recipients, known as Dreamers, as part of a broader immigration reform package.

The U.S. Supreme Court recently prevented the Trump administration from ending the DACA program, but only temporarily.

Young said there are a variety of immigration challenges the U.S. needs to tackle, including better security at the southern border. But he said DACA recipients – who were brought to the U.S. as children – shouldn’t be penalized. He supports a path to legal status.

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“That may be citizenship, it may not," Young said. "My expectation is that it would be difficult over a longer period of time to sustain some sort of legal status that is not citizenship.”

Young isn’t confident, however, that any deal can be reached before the November election.

“It’s unfortunate to say it, but politics is trumping good policy – and long-delayed policy, in this case,” Young said.

Young said “nothing’s more important” than providing Dreamers with some measure of certainty.

Contact reporter Brandon at bsmith@ipbs.org or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5.