Alabama Senate candidate said he is unaware of what DACA is

by Julia Manchester - 09/01/17 2:01 PM ET

The front-runner in Alabama’s Republican Senate primary, Roy Moore, said he did not know what the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program is during a July 11 radio interview.

Moore was asked by host Dale Jackson on WVNN about President Trump potentially ending the Obama-era program, which has seen nearly 800,000 people brought to the U.S. illegally as children receive work permits and deferral from deportation.

“Would you support an end to the ‘Dreamer’ program that President Trump has still continued to push?” Jackson asked, using the term often applied to DACA recipients.

“Pardon? The Dreamer program?” Moore asked, sounding puzzled.

{mosads}”Yes, sir. The DACA. You’re not aware of what Dreamers are?” Jackson responded.

“No,” Moore replied.

“This is a big issue in the immigration debate. Dreamers are—,” Jackson began to say before being cut off by Moore, who said, “Why don’t you tell me what it is, Dale, and quit beating around and tell me what it is.”

When asked if he would support the end of that program after the host explained DACA to him, Moore said, “I would look at that program. I surely would.”

The radio host conflated two related programs for undocumented immigrations. Trump has said he will make a decision this weekend on DACA, the administrative program started under the Obama administration.

This is separate from the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act, a proposal first introduced to Congress more than decade ago and reintroduced a number of times since, though it has yet to pass.

Trump, who said on the campaign trail that he would “immediately terminate” the DACA program, has yet to do so but said Friday a decision is imminent potentially this weekend.

A bipartisan group of lawmakers, including House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) have urged the president to keep DACA intact.

The White House is under a Texas-imposed deadline to rescind the program. If he does not, court action against DACA will begin on Sept. 5.

Trump endorsed Moore’s opponent Luther Strange (R-Ala.) last month.

Tags Luther Strange Paul Ryan