Washington: US President Donald Trump has said he has the great love for young immigrants who came to the United States as children and hoped Congress would bring legislation to help them, hours after he canceled an amnesty program to 800,000 undocumented workers.
US Secretary of Justice Jeff Sessions announced on Tuesday the cancellation of the DACA, an Obama-era amnesty program that granted work permits to immigrants who illegally arrived in the country as children.
The measure could affect 800,000 undocumented workers, including more than 7,000 American Indians.
“I have a big heart for people was talking about a great love for them.And people think in terms of children, but they are really young adults.I have a love for these people, and I hope now Congress will be able to help them and do it right, “Trump told reporters at the White House on Tuesday.
The decision has sparked widespread criticism of former President Barack Obama calling it “wrong,” “self-destructive,” and “cruel.”
The announcement, which was anticipated in recent days, was met with protests from across the country. Hundreds of demonstrators gathered yesterday in front of the White House to demonstrate against Trump.
The White House has defended the decision to rescind the DACA.
“DACA grants work authorization to nearly 800,000 people who are not legally authorized to work. The DACA recipients, whose average age is 20, were not a taxation priority prior, and certainly will not become a priority right now “said White House press secretary Sarah Sanders.
“The priorities remain the same: criminals, threats to security and those who repeatedly violate our immigration laws,” he said.
Sanders said the main effect of the announcement is that work permits and other government benefits are being phased out.
The president was chosen in part for his pledge to carry out a significant immigration reform that puts the jobs, wages and security of the American people first.
“It fulfills that promise every day and has submitted to Congress serious proposals to lawfully end illegal immigration, prevent visa expirations, eliminate dangerous criminals, protect US jobs and wages,” he said.
Responding to the questions, Sanders exuded confidence that Congress will step up and do its job.
“This is something that needs to be legislated, and we are confident that they (Congress) will do that, and we are ready and willing to work with them to carry out a responsible immigration reform, and DACA is certainly part of that process, “he said.
Sen. Bob Corker, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the president was right in wanting to get this issue resolved through legislation.
“Hopefully, in addressing this, we will also address a myriad of other issues that need to be addressed with our broken immigration system, including improving compliance and security measures,” he said.
Senator Chuck Schumer said most Americans know how cruel this DACA decision is, tearing apart families and telling people who worked so hard to become Americans for years now that they have to leave the country.
“These are the people who were brought here as children, without their fault, because they did not know any other country than ours and have voluntarily registered with the government to live, work and give back to our great country.” he said.
Schumer said that 91 percent of DACA beneficiaries are employed, paying taxes and paying in Social Security.
A study by the Center for American Progress earlier this year found that the end of the DACA would drain USD 433 billion of national GDP in 10 years, he said.
The Trump administrations’ action to end DACA is absurd and cruel, California has its eyes on Congress to do what it should have done years ago, but we can not rely on that.
“So the governor is with Attorney General Becerra while taking our fight to court to defend the Dreamers,” said California Gov. Edmund G Brown.
Steny H. Hoyer has written a letter to Speaker of the House Paul Ryan on Wednesday urging him to allow consideration of amendments to the omnibus budget bill on the floor this week that prohibits the use of taxpayer financing for certain purposes .
