Trump’s new immigration framework reportedly supports path to citizenship for 'Dreamers'

US President Donald Trump reportedly said on Wednesday that he is open to supporting a path to citizenship for young undocumented immigrants. A new White House framework also calls to increase border security and restrictions on legal immigration.

A telephone briefing by the White House has revealed that the POTUS will support a pathway for 1.8 million undocumented immigrants who came to the US as children. The call for Republican congressional staff members was hosted by White House adviser Stephen Miller.

An outline of the proposal was released on Thursday. Among the main focus was improved border security. It also seeks to "protect the nuclear family migration.”

'Dreamers'

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Trump said he is willing to consider citizenship for undocumented immigrants known as “Dreamers.”

"If they do a great job, I think it's a nice thing to have the incentive of, after a period of years, being able to become a citizen," USA Today quotes him as saying.

The citizenship path would be granted to DACA recipients through a "10-12 year path." It would include "requirements for work, education and good moral character." The number of immigrants expected to qualify would be larger than that under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

The news is seen as a significant concession for Democrats. Many of whom maintained that they will not support a deal which does not provide for citizenship. A path to citizenship for Dreamers was also included in a bipartisan proposal by Sens Lindsey Graham and Dick Durbin.

Border wall and security upgrades

Also included in the White House framework was a trust fund for a border wall as well as additional security upgrades. The trust fund was proposed to build at least parts of a wall along the US-Mexico border. “If you don't have a wall, you don't have DACA,” Trump reportedly said.

Family-based migration

There is a proposal for the ability of US citizens to petition for permanent legal residency "green cards" for extended family members such as parents and siblings to be terminated. It will instead be limited to family visas to spouses and minor children.

The practice of sponsoring extended family members for green cards has been a main source of immigration into the United States. Based on an analysis of Department of Homeland Security data, the proposed change would eliminate almost a quarter of the approximately one million immigrants that could enter the United States every year.