Congressman Al Green's Statement on the Decision to End DACA

Statement

On Wednesday, September 6, 2017, Congressman Al Green (D-TX) released a statement on the decision to end DACA:

"I support citizenship for the righteous DREAMers.

"After the devastation caused by Hurricane Harvey, I cannot imagine what my DACA constituents are experiencing after the ending of the DACA program by the Trump Administration. At a time when many of my constituents are facing an uncertain future, this was the cruelest time to jeopardize the future of these young people.

"President Trump has abandoned the DREAMers today with this outrageous action. However, we will not do the same in Congress. My colleagues and I will immediately fight to support a long-term solution for participants of the DACA program. As for me, I support citizenship that respects those who are already in line as the resolution for the righteous DREAMers. Deporting DREAMers means destroying the lives of hundreds of thousands of deserving young people, costing the economy billions and betraying the fundamental values of the American Dream.

"For the past five years, DACA has provided a strong pathway to hope and possibilities for nearly 800,000 young people in the United States. In Texas alone, this will affect over 124,000 young people and would lead to nearly $6.3 billion in GDP losses.

"This program has bipartisan support, which has been very hard to come by recently. It is my hope that Speaker Ryan and the House Republican leadership bring protections for DREAMers to the floor for a vote without delay. It is important that we fight for an immigration system that is inclusive and fair for all, beyond DACA. I will encourage my colleagues to do the same moving forward."

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