Goodlatte on what 'reasonable legislation' to replace DACA would be

After President Donald Trump's decision last week to phase out the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, U.S. Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-6th, said he's ready to work on getting "reasonable legislation" passed in Congress to address immigration "the right way."

What would be "reasonable legislation" for Congress to take up? Here's what Goodlatte said in response to that question:

“President Trump has called on Congress to address this issue the right way through legislation. However, we cannot fix the DACA problem without fixing all of the issues that led to the underlying problem of illegal immigration in the first place. Our immigration system is broken due to decades of lax enforcement. The House Judiciary Committee will continue to aggressively pursue the enactment of our immigration enforcement agenda so that our laws are enforced, we prevent illegal immigration, and the rule of law is restored.”

More: Dozens protest in Staunton over Trump's DACA decision

Goodlatte was also asked if he sees The BRIDGE Act (H.R.496) as reasonable legislation to address immigration and the issues around DACA, and if not, why not? The bill, which has bipartisan support and was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary (which Goodlatte chairs) in January, would grant "DREAMers" legal status for three years.

Goodlatte did not address that question.

At a rally in Staunton last week, demonstrators protested Trump's decision on DACA and some criticized Goodlatte's stance on DACA as well.

Dulce Elias Martinez, of Harrisonburg, who held a sign calling out Goodlatte at the rally, said she already questioned the congressman's backbone, but that "now we're seeing that he needs a heart too."