Letter to the editor: Casey & immigration

As you watch another migrant caravan approach our nation, keep in mind that immigration policy reform was debated in the U.S. Senate in February. Four bills were proposed. None passed.

That immigration was discussed at all was the result of Democrats shutting down the government in January. They were upset that President Trump threatened to end DACA protections on March 5 if Congress did not act on it by then. The Democrats demanded that a debate on DACA be part of any immigration reform.

Trump supported a proposal by Sen. Chuck Grassley that would have provided a pathway to citizenship for 1.8 million people. There are 800,000 DACA recipients. In return, $25 billion would be provided for a southern border wall and additional security. Chain migration would be restricted to the nuclear family. A diversity visa lottery system would be phased out. Sen. Bob Casey joined all Senate Democrats and several Republicans to block a vote on the bill.

The irony of Casey’s rejection of the bill is that he gave a speech the day before in the Senate praising and supporting DACA residents. He warned of economic damage and national security issues if they were deported. He criticized Trump for betraying them and called for bipartisan legislation to pass protections for dreamers along with increased border security.

That was the Grassley bill, and he rejected it. And what about you and the DACA residents who would have benefited from its passage? Did he represent your interests when he voted “no”? Is this how he will approach immigration reform if given six more years?

James Kelm

Latrobe