McEnany: Trump would like to see 'legislative fix' to DACA, order will focus on 'merit-based immigration'

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Kayleigh McEnany: Trump would like to see a ‘legislative fix’ for DACA, no guidance on timing yet

White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany discusses the immigration order on DACA at a briefing.

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said Friday President Trump wants to see a “legislative fix” to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program after the president suggested a pathway to citizenship for DACA recipients would be included in his forthcoming immigration order.

When asked by a reporter when the immigration order would be coming, McEnany said she had “no guidance” other than to say it would be an executive order focused on “merit-based” immigration, and the president would like to see a "legislative fix" for DACA.

Two weeks ago the president said he would be signing an executive order in the next few weeks, including a “road to citizenship” for DACA recipients, who were brought to the country illegally as children, or legally on visas that were later overstayed. DACA recipients are not citizens but are able to live, study and work without fear of deportation.

President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Calif., in the Oval Office of the White House, Monday, July 20, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

TRUMP VOWS TO SIGN IMMIGRATION EXECUTIVE ORDER: 'WE'RE GOING TO BE TAKING CARE OF DACA'

“I’m going do a big executive order, I have the power to do it as president and I’m going to make DACA a part of it,” Trump said in an interview with Telemundo anchor Jose Diaz-Balart. Trump added he was still working on the “legal complexities” of keeping DACA in the order.

Days later, Trump again touted that he would be “taking care” of DACA.

“We’re going to be taking care of DACA,” Trump said at a Rose Garden briefing. “I’m going to be signing immigration action, very big merit-based immigration action.

"Even conservative Republicans want to see something happen with DACA," Trump said. "Democrats had their chance for three years.

"They always turned it down," he said, adding that Democrats used the debate over childhood arrivals as a "political tool."

Trump, who has pledged to end DACA since he was on the campaign trail in 2015 when he called the program an “illegal executive order,” said that the bill wouldn’t just be for temporary relief but would be a far more encompassing merit-based bill.

It is unclear whether the president can grant DACA recipients a path to citizenship through executive powers.

Last month, the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 to reject Trump’s attempt to dismantle the program for young immigrants. The Court ruled the administration had not provided proper legal justification to end the program established under President Obama in 2012.

SUPREME COURT RULES AGAINST TRUMP ADMINISTRATION BID TO END DACA PROGRAM

Trump and a bipartisan group of senators hit a stalemate in January 2018 after a compromise immigration bill was presented that would protect DACA recipients. But Trump would not agree to the measure because it did not include a provision for the U.S.- Mexico border wall, eventually leading to the longest government shutdown in U.S. history.

Trump first submitted his appeal to the Supreme Court in January 2018 after a federal judge blocked the president's attempt to terminate DACA.

The Supreme Court then began oral arguments for the case in November 2019, which prompted Trump to tweet, “Many of the people in DACA, no longer very young, are far from 'angels.' Some are very tough, hardened criminals.

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“If Supreme Court remedies with overturn, a deal will be made with Dems for them to stay!”