The first step towards a new version of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which is to be rescinded by the Trump administration, has been taken by Republican Senators, James Lankford, Orrin Hatch, and Thom Tillis. The SUCCEED Act (Solution for Undocumented Children through Careers Employment Education and Defending our nation) would be a merit-based solution to the issues currently facing undocumented youth in the US, which the three Senators claim is ‘fair and compassionate’.
Tillis says that the program would allow Dreamers to live permanently in the US so long as they work hard, pay their taxes and obey the law. The proposed legislation would mandate that recipients of ‘conditional status’ would need to serve in the US military, be studying in higher education, or be gainfully employed for five years before they could apply for a green card.
Those eligible for protective status in the new bill would have come to the US before the age of 16, have the equivalent of a high school diploma, be capable of paying off federal tax liabilities, give biometric information to the Department of Homeland Security, and pass an extensive background check on their criminal history.
Tillis says that Congress should not implement a plan that enables line skipping, or encourage chain migration. Tillis has criticized Senator Dick Durbey and Lindsey Graham’s proposed DREAM Act legislation as not being conservative enough but says he is willing to work with Democrats on the immigration bill.