If you’re a politician, it’s no secret that coming out in open defiance of your party’s leadership can lead to serious consequences. For a member of Congress, that might include the loss of committee assignments, among other things.
That’s why doing so generally happens only as a last result, and when it involves a principle so important it transcends politics.
For Rep. Mia Love, R-Utah, the principles involved in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Act, or DACA, rise to that level. That’s easy to understand for personal reasons. Love is the daughter of parents who emigrated from Haiti. She would have a natural sympathy and understanding toward children who are brought to this country through no choice of their own, then forced to grow up in the limbo of non-citizenship.
But this is an issue that rises beyond personal experiences. It speaks to the fundamental humanity of the American promise of opportunity and liberty. Love is on the right side. Her courage in being among only a handful of Republicans to sign a discharge petition that would force immigration reform bills to the House floor is commendable.
But the failure of other members of Utah’s delegation to follow her lead is disturbing. Surely Utah, which has benefitted greatly from immigration and where so many young adults spend years abroad in church service, is a place where leaders should understand the principle at stake.
Children of undocumented parents are Americans in every sense except citizenship. It would be cruel to send them back to the countries from which they came at a young age. It also would be bad for the nation. Many of these children no doubt would contribute much to the nation, as do many immigrants, if given a permanent status.
President Trump has revoked President Obama’s executive order providing protection to these children because he said Congress should settle the DACA matter. But Congress has failed to do so, and a court ruling that kept the Obama program in force removed the pressure to find a permanent solution.
Executive orders, however, are not permanent solutions. Even favorable court rulings do not provide the comprehensive solutions inherent in the give-and-take of the legislative process. Congress has a duty to solve this matter.
If it succeeds, the discharge petition would send three existing immigration bills, known as the Dream Act, the USA Act and the Securing America’s Future Act, to the House floor for a vote. A fourth bill would be written by House Speaker Paul Ryan, who has yet to signal what it might contain.
Love said she favors the USA Act, which would provide ways for the children of undocumented immigrants to earn permanent status, including through military service. It also would provide added security along the nation’s Southern border.
But Love is quick to add that whatever ends up emerging from the House would be subject to all the amendments and compromises that typically happen to bills as they pass through the House and Senate.
The final outcome may not be to everyone’s liking, but to do nothing would be to remain silent on one of the biggest issues of the day concerning fairness and compassion. Congress can’t afford to abdicate on something so important.