Democrats Condemn DACA Recision As 'Heartless' And Pledge To Help

Jenna Amatulli
Updated

Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced on Tuesday that President Donald Trump has decided to officially terminate the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program in six months, giving the decision-making keys to Congress in the meantime.

Democrats in Congress immediately shared their outrage and pledged their commitment to finding a solution for the nearly 800,000 young undocumented immigrants, or “Dreamers,” at risk of deportation now that the program offering them work permits and temporary deportation relief is being rescinded.

Sessions said Tuesday that DACA has “denied jobs to hundreds of thousands of Americans by allowing those same illegal aliens to take those jobs” and that rescinding the program does not “mean they are bad people or that our nation disrespects or demeans them in any way.”

But Democratic lawmakers thought otherwise about the Trump administration decision, calling it a “heartless” and “morally bankrupt move.” Here’s what they had to say in response:

Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) said, “President Trump has once again sided with division and hate.”

Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.) called the move a “moment of truth” for the GOP.

Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) cited the “human and economic toll” of the decision.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) and many others also spoke out.

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A demonstrator is carried away.
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A healthcare activist holds up a sign while she and others occupy the office of Sen. Dean Heller (R-Nev.) to protest the Republican health care bill at the U.S. Capitol on July 10, 2017.
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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.