United States Rep. Peter King (R-Seaford) was ambushed Wednesday by immigrant advocates in Washington, D.C. demanding answers about the status of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.
Immigrant activists from the organization Make the Road New York called on King to push the Republican majority in the House to vote on DACA legislation. Earlier this year, President Donald Trump announced he will do away with the Obama-era executive action but welcomed Congress to pass legislation that would codify it into law.
Make the Road has often targeted King, protesting outside of his district office and even at his home. But King has repeatedly said he supports DACA. And while Congress did not take up the issue as part of its vote to extend government funding Thursday night, Sen. Jeff Flake announced on Twitter Wednesday that the Senate will consider bipartisan DACA legislation next month. King spoke to News 12 from Washington Thursday by phone.
"One way or the other, we expect to have by January or February DACA legislation on the floor," King said. "Now in doing that, we have to at the same time make sure that the border is gonna be more secure and...ensure that groups like MS-13 are not allowed to circulate in the immigrant community. The group yesterday, they are against ICE, they're against going after MS-13, so I really don't pay any attention to them."
Make the Road New York said it confronted King in Washington because he refused to meet with its members in person. The congressman says he has met with several immigrant advocacy groups but acknowledges he has declined to meet with Make the Road.