Eric Cantor offering advice to end ‘immigration wars’

Former House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) called for a middle-of-the-road approach to comprehensive immigration reform on Sunday, as the future of the Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program hangs in the balance. 

“It is well past time for Republicans to stand up to those on the right who are quick to denounce any sensible solution as amnesty and for Democrats to stand up to those on the left who rail against any meaningful steps toward border security and immigration enforcement,” Cantor wrote in a New York Times op-ed on Sunday. 

The former House majority leader called for Congress to provide law-abiding Dreamers a path to citizenship, while increasing boarder security. 

{mosads}”Only Congress can fix this mess. It should do so by providing a path for law-abiding Dreamers to obtain a green card and ultimately, full citizenship,” Cantor said. 

“In exchange for a much improved program for Dreamers, Congress should significantly increase America’s border security by funding additional personnel, technology and physical resources at our border,” he continued. 

Cantor went on to say that members of Congress should be prepared to face backlash from the extreme wings of their party, but said this kind of a measure is necessary. 

The op-ed comes less than a week after Trump met with Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to discuss the future of DACA. 

The Democrats were quick to announce Trump had agreed to support legislation to protect Dreamers that would not involve funding for a U.S.-Mexico border wall — an apparent move away from one of Trump’s signature campaign promises that shocked conservatives.

However, the White House denied that such a deal had been made. 

Trump enraged Democrats and civil rights advocates when he announced earlier this month he would move to end the Obama-era program, giving Congress six months to work out a solution.