Heartless decision to end DACA deals devastating blow to families, economy
STATE
CAPITOL, PHOENIX – The
Senate Democratic Caucus released the following statement on President Trump’s
decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA):
Senator Lupe Contreras, Senate Democratic Whip (LD19):
"Right now, there are more than 51,000 young
men and women in Arizona who have DACA status, and 800,000 nationally. While
they have yet to earn citizenship, they are still as American as you and me.
They were raised here and went to school here. They are our neighbors, our
coworkers and our friends. Many of them are our best and brightest students who
hold the promise of becoming innovative leaders in business and in our
communities. Revoking DACA recipients' place in our country is a soulless act
that will rip loving families apart and requires a willful ignorance to the
critical roles they play in our society and economy."
Senator Martin Quezada, Senate Democratic Whip
(LD29):
"Over the past week, the Trump Administration
has made it clear: there is no place for Latinos in his America. From the
pardon of disgraced former sheriff Joe Arpaio to declaring war on law-abiding
DACA recipients and the business community, the President has shown that his
America is narrow-minded, and beneath the country we aspire to be."
Senator Catherine Miranda (LD27):
"Here we are once again playing defense on
threats to our community. We are here to stand up against the President's hateful
decision to end DACA. I call on employers of all DACA recipients to stand up
for your loyal employees and step up to put pressure on Congress to immediately
begin work on comprehensive immigration reform. Our business leaders need to
come together to make sure America continues being the land of opportunity,
especially for some of our most talented and innovative minds. Over forty percent of Fortune 500 companies
were founded by immigrants or their children. The America we love
embraces that entrepreneurial spirit, but the repeal of DACA sends the opposite
message. I trust our businesses value their employees and will do what is best
for their business and for Arizona."
Senator Robert Meza (LD30):
"President Trump’s repeal of DACA is yet
another disgraceful attack on our nation’s immigrant community. For the
President to promise to treat DACA recipients 'with heart' and then turn
around and tear apart loving families is simply inhumane."
Senator Juan Mendez (LD26):
"The young men and women who currently have
DACA status enrolled in the program because it was the right thing to do and
they had trust that the federal government would honor its agreement with them.
But now that trust has been shattered by proponents of racist, nativist
protectionism all because Congress failed to pass comprehensive immigration reform
with permanent legal protection for DACA recipients. Congress must immediately
pass the DREAM Act with a veto-proof majority to put protection of DACA
recipients into permanent federal law, immune from the impulses of a bigoted
executive branch."
Senator Jamescita Peshlakai (LD7):
“The termination of DACA not only immediately hurts
our DACA recipients, but negatively impacts our state and national economy.
These are people who have volunteered and even given their lives to protect our
country in the military. This is also another blow to indigenous people in the
United States because many recipients are of indigenous descent, whose
forebears inhabited these lands before international borders were ever drawn.
This move further tarnishes the spirit of the nation and is contrary to
everything our country stands for. I support DACA and stand in solidarity with
our Arizona recipients.”
Senator Sean Bowie (LD18):
“Over 51,000 young people in Arizona are currently
protected by DACA. Arriving in the country as children, they have worked hard,
passed background checks, and received permission to live and work in America.
These young people are contributing to our economy, going to school, and
strengthening our communities. They are a testament to the values and the
ideals of our country, and protecting them is more important than ever. I stand
with the hundreds of elected leaders from around the country asking President
Trump to work with Congress to sign into law the bipartisan DREAM Act, so our
young people no longer have to live in fear of being separated from their
families and our communities.”
Senator Steve Farley (LD9):
"It's been five years since DACA was
implemented through executive order because of Congress' refusal to address
immigration reform. In that time, DACA recipients have earned degrees and jobs,
bought houses and cars,
and paid their taxes. With this decision, they will
lose their ability to make payments on their houses and cars, pay taxes and they
will lose their jobs and the state's economy will lose an estimated $1.3
billion per year. Those first recipients are now in their early- to
mid-thirties and have children who now may be forced to rely on government
assistance if their parents are deported. To support the decision to end DACA
is to support destroying families and support delivering a devastating blow to
the economies of our state and our nation."
Senator Katie Hobbs (LD24):
"Since appealing to his humanity clearly
does not resonate with this president, let's appeal to what he holds most dear
- his popularity. According to a poll from late April,
the vast majority of Americans - 78% - support DACA recipients' right to stay
in the United States. In fact, 48% of Republicans surveyed would allow them to
become citizens and another 24
