Sept. 5, 2017 By Tara Law
Several elected officials who represent Queens districts condemned President Donald Trump today for ending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, known as DACA.
President Trump urged Congress to find an alternative to DACA, a program that President Barack Obama introduced by way of an executive order that aims to prevent the deportation of young undocumented immigrants who were brought into the country by their parents.
The change in policy will hit Queens hard.
According to the Migration Policy Institute, Queens has the highest number of undocumented immigrants of New York’s boroughs— 232,000. Of those, 2,800 are eligible for DACA.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced this morning that DACA would no longer be accepting new applications.
There are currently 800,000 beneficiaries of DACA throughout the United States who are legally able to work and reside. If Congress doesn’t pass legislation restoring their status, these immigrants will face deportation when the program starts to phase out in March 5.
Queens officials, including NYC Council Member Daniel Dromm (D-Jackson Heights, Elmhurst), used strong language to rebuke Trump’s decision to end the program.
“Our families, friends and neighbors―undocumented and lawfully present alike―deserve better than this.” Dromm said in a statement. “I urge Congress to challenge this reversal and take immediate action to fix our broken immigration system.”
Senator Jose Peralta (D- Corona, Jackson Heights, Elmhurst) referred to the president’s decision as “brutal and incomprehensible.”
“We cannot afford to lose our Dreamers to appease political rhetoric,” Peralta said. “This is a sad, tragic day for America. I hope this Administration rethinks this decision and works to put people over politics.”
Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer (D- Astoria, Long Island City, Sunnyside) said that he wondered if the president is “heartless or does not understand the consequences of his actions.”
He said New York has a different view toward immigrants than Trump.
“We welcome and respect all looking to build a better life for themselves and their family,” said Van Bramer. “In Western Queens and New York City, we must and will protect Dreamers. We reject this President and will fight his policies rooted in racism, hate and fear.”
New York Assemblyman Francisco Moya (D- Corona, Jackson Heights, Elmhurst) referred to his own background as the son of Ecuadorian immigrants, and noted that he represents many immigrants.
“New York will continue to be a beacon of tolerance and progressive values, and I pledge to lead the charge in city council,” said Moya.
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7 Comments
I love trump. I told everyone he would with . the guy is a winner. And all the time everyone in the bar said I was drunk and annoying. Trump in 2020
SCOTUS was going to strike down DACA as unconstitutional in the next few weeks…by winding DACA down POTUS is giving them a 6 month extension so that congress can address this issue…now SCOTUS will not hear the case…Trump is giving these “dreamers” a ray of hope so they can stay….it is sad to see people twist things around into “fake news”….they should be thanking the president for giving them a lifeline….
Thank god for president trump. Creating jobs, get rid of illegals, at least hes doing something
If they were mostly Caucasian and not people of color, The trump administration wouldn’t have rescinded DACA. While Congress works on a solution. What he did was racist and did it only to appease his uneducated racist voter base
So sad people like OE want to cast their fellow Americans, in this case, people who have known no home but the USA, into lions dens. These people fled violence and poverty. They are invested in *our* country and will suffer greatly if forced to leave.
They broke the LAW What don’t you understand about that? You can’t pick and choose what you want and have your cake and eat it. How are they invested? They pay no taxes and work for peanuts ( slave wages ) Just so you can get your pizza delivered to your home!
So Sad they have to keep pandering to these ILLEGALS. Maybe once the city is defunded and those responsible arrested they will come to realize what they have done.