Jayapal Statement on President Trump Terminating the DACA Program

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal issued the following statement in response to President Trump’s termination of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program:

“President Trump is destroying the future of nearly 800,000 young men and women who were brought here by their parents and know no other country but this one. After toying with their futures and raising their hopes with talk of his ‘big heart,’ Donald Trump has shown exactly what his priorities are. He has once again sided with hate and xenophobia, putting in place a repeal that is cruel, inhumane and unjust.
 
“Over the last five years, DACA has improved the lives of hundreds of thousands of people who came to this country as children. This doesn’t even account for the ripple effect it has had on the family and friends of DACA recipients or the positive impact of DACA on our society more broadly. Across the nation, companies, schools and communities have greatly benefited from the talent, skill and unique perspective of the young people granted DACA status in America. The moral cost of repealing DACA is immeasurable. Economically, our country will lose $460.3 billion in GDP over the next decade from this repeal.
 
“I call on my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to immediately pass stand-alone legislation to protect Dreamers.
 
“Let me be clear: Our immigrant brothers and sisters are here to stay. Not only are they welcome in our communities – they are essential to our communities. I will continue to fight alongside Dreamers and the immigrant rights movement. I ask my Republican colleagues to consider which side of justice they wish to be on, and join us in passing legislation to protect Dreamers once and for all.”

Background: The DACA program has provided relief from deportation to nearly 800,000 young Americans, including close to 18,000 in Washington state. Eight in 10 voters support allowing Dreamers to remain in the United States, including three-quarters of Americans who voted for President Trump. The U.S. economy is estimated to lose $460.3 billion in GDP over 10 years if DACA protections are removed. The Trump administration has terminated DACA, due to take effect on March 5, 2018. No new DACA applications will be accepted starting September 5, 2017

Issues: Immigration