Congressman Ral M. Grijalva will continue to fight for dreamers

The DACA program was ended by President Donald Trump on September 5, 2017. Congress had until March 5 to work on a bipartisan solution. Today, Rep. Grijalva issued the following statement:

“Trump’s cruel decision to end the DACA program in September upended the lives of more than 800,000 DACA recipients and their families. By punting the responsibility of their future to Congress, he turned them into political pawns that hardline anti-immigrant congressional Republicans used to further a radical right-wing immigration agenda.

“Although he claimed to want a ‘bill of love’ for Dreamers and pledged to treat Dreamers ‘with heart,’ his actions demonstrate the opposite. Trump has held them hostage in an attempt to secure support for his divisive border wall, funding for his deportation machine, and excessive limits to legal immigration. He killed all attempts of a bipartisan compromise, and now Dreamers face the consequences of expired DACA permits and potential deportation.

“I urge President Trump and Republicans in Congress to work with Democrats on passing a common-sense solution. Despite the cries of Trump and his allies, Americans overwhelmingly stand with Dreamers and want Congress to take action. As March 5 comes and goes, I will work tirelessly with my colleagues on a permanent, bipartisan legislative solution that protects Dreamers and ensures their future in the only county they have known, the United States.”