Foreign

Donald Trump says ‘Happy Easter’ with a temper tantrum about DACA

Published

7 years ago

April 2, 2018

On a beautiful spring morning at Mar-a-Lago, President Donald Trump appears to have woken up in a very foul mood.

So the president did as he’s wont to do on days like this: He announced a dramatic shift in policy affecting the nation’s most vulnerable people. “NO DACA deal,” Trump tweeted on Sunday morning. The Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA) sought to protect undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children until Trump ended it in Sept. 2017.

Religious leaders and more secular observers couldn’t help but notice that Trump was spouting his anti-immigration views on Easter Sunday and during Passover. Both holidays celebrate liberation, hope, and freedom from oppression and tyranny.

Regardless of the timing, Trump’s declaration marks a radical turning point. For months, the president complained that Democrats were responsible for the failure to work out a long-term alternative.

Democrats responded by pointing out, correctly, that Trump both (1) ended DACA himself and (2) attached such wildly xenophobic demands to his immigration bills (a wall, a 50 percent decrease in legal immigration) that they couldn’t possibly sign onto anything.

“Border Patrol Agents are not allowed to properly do their job at the Border because of ridiculous liberal (Democrat) laws like Catch & Release. Getting more dangerous. ‘Caravans’ coming. Republicans must go to Nuclear Option to pass tough laws NOW. NO MORE DACA DEAL,” Trump tweeted Sunday morning.

Border Patrol Agents are not allowed to properly do their job at the Border because of ridiculous liberal (Democrat) laws like Catch & Release. Getting more dangerous. “Caravans” coming. Republicans must go to Nuclear Option to pass tough laws NOW. NO MORE DACA DEAL!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump)

April 1, 2018

It’s unclear what “caravans” Trump is referring to, or who even uses them anymore, outside of Oregon Trail players and groups of friends on Phish tour.

“Mexico is doing very little, if not NOTHING, at stopping people from flowing into Mexico through their Southern Border, and then into the U.S,” Trump later added on Twitter. “They laugh at our dumb immigration laws. They must stop the big drug and people flows, or I will stop their cash cow, NAFTA. NEED WALL!”

Mexico is doing very little, if not NOTHING, at stopping people from flowing into Mexico through their Southern Border, and then into the U.S. They laugh at our dumb immigration laws. They must stop the big drug and people flows, or I will stop their cash cow, NAFTA. NEED WALL!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump)

April 1, 2018

“These big flows of people are all trying to take advantage of DACA. They want in on the act!”

These big flows of people are all trying to take advantage of DACA. They want in on the act!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump)

April 1, 2018

Based on Trump’s tweet, it’s difficult to know whether if the president actually understands how DACA works. The program only applies to undocumented people who came to the United States as minors. Those who are approved get a renewable two-year authorization to remain in the country and seek work.

It’s a crushing announcement for the undocumented community. Journalist Matthew Gertz couldn’t help but notice that Trump’s announcement came shortly after a Fox and Friends segment.

How are you spending your Easter Sunday? The the president is livetweeting Fox & Friends.

Left, Fox & Friends, 9:12 am

Right, Trump, 9:55 am pic.twitter.com/FHhBpoFflG

— Matthew Gertz (@MattGertz) April 1, 2018

Other observers on the internet, meanwhile, were quick to point out the supposedly religious president’s hypocrisy.

Trump just announced that there will be no deal to legalize the DACA kids.

Jesus was an immigrant.

Happy Easter, everybody.

— Emilia (@PoliticalEmilia) April 1, 2018

Easter is about redemption.

DACA is all about redemption and forgiveness.

Here on this Easter Sunday, Trump shows he’s all in against redemption and forgiveness. https://t.co/UPGZQlag2D

— Steven Greenhouse (@greenhousenyt)

April 1, 2018

Easter Sunday message from Trump in a tweet with all caps:

NO MORE DACA DEAL!

Easter Sunday message from Jesus in the Bible in red letters:

“For I was hungry & you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty & you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger & you took Me in.”

— TOᑭ ᖇOᑭE TᖇAViS ?? (@TopRopeTravis) April 1, 2018

President Trump tweets “HAPPY EASTER!” yet not an hour later attacks some of the world’s most vulnerable people.

Happy Easter means immigrants and refugees find sanctuary.

Happy Easter means that cruel tyrants who seek to oppress them will be cast down from their thrones. https://t.co/1ANS8ONGcL

— Serene Jones (@SereneJones) April 1, 2018

In the spirit of Passover and Easter, our president tweets:

“NO MORE DACA DEAL!”

— Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) April 1, 2018

Then maybe you should read Trump’s Easter tweets and deliver this sermon to him personally. https://t.co/mxPNxP2Bya

— Hend Amry (@LibyaLiberty) April 1, 2018

Trump’s Easter message:

We must welcome Jesus into our hearts… while keeping anyone named “Jesus” out of our country. pic.twitter.com/kVtT0tKmAO

— The Hoarse Whisperer (@HoarseWisperer) April 1, 2018

While Trump may have called off any plans to work on a DACA replacement (even though such a deal would ultimately come from lawmakers in Congress) the program will stand for the next two years because of a lower court decision — giving the president plenty of time to randomly change his mind.

Donald Trump says ‘Happy Easter’ with a temper tantrum about DACA