On Tuesday, the Trump administration announced that they would be rolling back a program that protects young immigrants from deportation.
DACA, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, was a President Obama era policy that protects nearly 800,000 undocumented children who were brought to the US. As of Tuesday, the Department of Homeland Security will not process any new applications for the program.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the decision at a Tuesday morning press conference. "I am here today to announce that the program known as DACA that was effectuated under the Obama administration is being rescinded."
Sessions did say that although the program will not be accepting new applications, they will renew current permits for anyone whose status will expire in the next six months, giving Congress time to act on the decision.
Many business and education leaders have supported the act, along with Democrats and moderate Republicans, saying 'dreamers' have made many contributions to American society and many have never known any other home than the United States. Congress now has until March 5, 2018 to preserve the program before 'dreamers' begin losing their status. If Congress does not act on the revocation, nearly 300,000 people could begin to lose their immigration status in 2018, with even more losing their status in 2019.
Many leaders on both sides of the aisle issued statements on Tuesday about the roll back of DACA:
"In 2015, I supported LB623 which gave DACA youth living in our state the opportunity to apply for a driver’s license. I also supported LB947, allowing these young people to obtain professional licenses to pursue a career they prepared and trained for. The young immigrants granted DACA status were brought to the United States when they were very young, through no fault of their own. For most, eventual citizenship is their dream. DACA has created opportunities for education, employment and service to our community and state and I remain supportive of the program." -Mayor Jean Stothert
- “I understand why many people are unsure of what the future holds for them and the fears they are feeling. I want to let those who are scared and uncertain know that I am committed to keeping law-abiding DACA recipients in the United States. This is the only home many of these children, students, friends, and neighbors have known. Today’s announcement rescinding the DACA program recognizes that the Constitution gives lawmaking authority to Congress and that laws cannot be changed by executive order. Congress needs to work on a balanced and compassionate approach that ensures law-abiding DACA recipients are able to stay in the country they call home, but also addresses employer compliance with immigration laws, secures our border, and improves our visa program. I am eager to work on a solution as soon as possible and I urge my colleagues in the House to make this a priority as well. We must fix our immigration system and provide the resources to secure our nation. As part of my balanced approach, I chose to co-sponsor the BRIDGE Act, which extends protections for DACA recipients while Congress works towards an updated immigration policy. I will work to ensure that legislation is passed." -Don Bacon
- "America has been and always will be a nation of immigrants, but we are also a nation of laws. However, many young undocumented children were brought here by parents, caretakers, and so forth through no fault of their own. As I have stated many times before, we must show compassion toward these children. While I do not support giving them citizenship, we must identify and pursue a measured approach that addresses their unique situation, but also respects the importance of our immigration laws and discourages future illegal immigration. It is now incumbent upon Congress to act. We have an opportunity to solve this issue, work to secure the border, and modernize the legal immigration system.” -Joni Ernst
- “The decision today by the Administration regarding DACA underlines the need for Congress to act,” Ashford said. “The Bridge Act is not a solution and a path to earned citizenship is critical. Congress must work immediately to retain DACA and move forward with Comprehensive Immigration Reform. This is something I have continuously called for and will continue to do so until we achieve a solution.” -Brad Ashford
- "Today is a cruel day for Dreamers, their families, and all Americans. President Trump’s decision to end DACA is a manufactured crisis in response to an artificial deadline from anti-immigrant leaders in Nebraska and other states. Five years ago, the federal government made a deal with immigrant youth: As long as you pass a criminal background check you can live, study, and work here. Hundreds of thousands of young people came out of the shadows and accepted the government’s offer in good faith and worked hard to build their lives here. Today, the government and President Trump went back on their word, threw the lives and futures of 800,000 Dreamers and their families into disarray, and injected chaos and uncertainty into thousands of workplaces and communities across America. In Nebraska alone, over 3,300 of our neighbors use their DACA status to give back to our state in innumerable ways: they are our doctors, soldiers, and students, our neighbors, family, and friends. While this is a hard day for the immigrant community and America as a whole, we will continue to fight. Years of courage, sacrifices, and organizing won the DACA program in 2012. Nothing will deter these Americans and our allies in Nebraska and across the country from continuing to fight on behalf of their futures and holding those responsible accountable.”- Danielle Conrad Nebraska ACLU