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“Americans’ hearts are with the Dreamers, and our eyes are on the Supreme Court and the Senate” – Douglas Rivlin Reflects on Two Year Anniversary of DACA Termination

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Ending DACA Was Another Vile Trump Assault on Immigrants

Tomorrow marks the two-year anniversary of President Trump’s announced termination the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. The following is a statement from Douglas G. Rivlin, Director of Communication for America’s Voice: 

Trump started his relentless assault on immigrants when he launched his candidacy. His obsession to punish and eliminate immigrants from our country knows no bounds. He seems to derive special pleasure in terrorizing young immigrants and children. Two years ago, he announced the end of DACA and threw the lives and futures of hundreds of thousands of Dreamers into needless chaos. It was a self-defeating, unpopular, and needlessly cruel decision and one spurred on by the behind-the-scenes machinations of Stephen Miller and Jeff Sessions. It was also, as numerous courts have subsequently ruled, unlawful.

With the Supreme Court set to hear a case over the future of DACA this fall, the futures and potential of hundreds of thousands of Dreamers hang in the balance, as does the legitimacy of the Supreme Court itself. As Republicans bow to Trump and Trump-ism and as Trump’s authoritarian presidency proceeds, will the Supreme Court be an independent arbiter of justice or a Trump – and Trumpism – rubber stamp and a partisan institution?   

DACA is and was a popular and successful program that strengthened our country along with the futures of hundreds of thousands of Dreamers. The American people are strongly in support of DACA and Dreamers – for example, recent polling from Global Strategy Group, on behalf of FWD.us found that Americans back citizenship for Dreamers by a margin of 77% – 18%.

Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has an opportunity to resolve this crisis by bringing the Dream and Promise Act to the Senate floor immediately. The legislation, which would provide a permanent solution for the hundreds of thousands of Dreamers and TPS holders, passed the House by a significant and bipartisan margin, and it’s time for the Senate to do the same.

Americans’ hearts are with the Dreamers, and our eyes are on the Supreme Court and the Senate to see if they stand with the law and with the American people or only with Trump.