Rep. Takano: President Trump Shows Cruelty, Cowardice in DACA Decision
Washington, D.C. – Today, Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif) released the following statement after the Trump administration announced it will end the DACA program in six months and that no new applications will be processed. The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program grants temporary protected status to 800,000 law-abiding and productive young immigrants who have built their lives in America.
“President Trump’s decision to end the DACA program is a case study in cruelty and cowardice. If the president believes – like a vast majority of Americans – that law-abiding and productive young immigrants should not be thrown out of the country, then he should have stood by the DACA program. Instead, nearly one million young people will be forced to live in fear of the future because President Trump lives in fear of upsetting the extreme ideologues in his base.
“Dreamers are our co-workers, classmates, and neighbors. Their families are here. They have built their lives here. For many of these young people, America is the only country they have ever called home. Turning our backs on Dreamers is a stain on America’s conscience and an affront to common decency. It is un-American.
“Ending DACA will also severely damage our economy. More than 90 percent of the young immigrants protected through the DACA program are in the workforce. They strengthen our communities, contribute to our economy, and embody the power of immigration to support American prosperity. This decision could cost California $11 billion every year, according to a study by the Center for American Progress.
“Republicans in Congress have expressed support for DACA kids with their words, but not through their actions. Now is their chance to do what is right. Congress must stand with these young people and demonstrate that – at its heart – America is a fair, strong, and compassionate nation.”
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