Over the weekend, former Trump strategist Steve Bannon warned of a Republican “civil war” over whether immigrants, who entered the U.S. illegally as children, should be allowed to stay here.
One response to a civil war is to try to be on both sides of it.
That’s apparently what Colorado gubernatorial candidate George Brauchler is doing, judging from recent media statements, in which he sided with Trump’s decision to end DACA and deport young immigrants.
But he also reportedly said young undocumented DACA immigrants should remain in the U.S., possibly with legal status, with the permission of Congress.
In one KNUS radio interview Sept. 7, Brauchler compared Obama’s DACA order delaying the deportation of young immigrants to Hickenlooper’s order delaying the execution of murderer Nathan Dunlap.
“And I think what we’re seeing here – not just with DACA – but you can see, whether it’s the reprieve of Nathan Dunlap or, you know, the different steps that different Democrat executives have taken, there’s a real interest now in circumventing our representative and constitutional processes in order to accomplish what someone believes is some altruistic goal,” Brauchler, a Republican, told KNUS host Dan Caplis Sept. 7.
Brauchler said, “So, what President Trump did, I think, was exactly appropriate. We should have never been in this boat, and I do think it’s up to the Congress now to figure out how to navigate these waters.”
How should Congress do it? That’s when Brauchler jumps to the other side of the GOP’s civil war, saying he’s open to giving DACA recipients a “path to some legal status down the road” but not citizenship.
Brauchler struck a similar note in a Grand Junction campaign stop, where WesternSlopeNow.com reported, “Brauchler also says he does not agree with DACA students losing the right to be here and achieve higher education. Therefore, he hopes Congress can come up with a solution to this ongoing situation.”
Listen to Brauchler on KNUS 710-AM’s Dan Caplis Show Sept. 7: