CAPAC Statement on Trump’s Decision to Delay Action on DACA

CAPAC Statement on Trump’s Decision to Delay Action on DACA

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Judy Chu (CA-27), Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), and Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), CAPAC’s Immigration Task Force Chair, issued the following statements in response to the Trump Administration’s plan to delay legislative action to protect Dreamers.

Congresswoman Judy Chu (CA-27), CAPAC Chair:

“I am deeply disturbed by reports that President Trump and Republicans in Congress plan to delay legislative action to protect our nation’s Dreamers until after the holidays. When President Trump made the cruel decision to terminate the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, he left the lives of 800,000 Dreamers – including many Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders – in limbo.

“It is reprehensible that the President is now attempting to use these young people as bargaining chips to advance his anti-immigrant agenda. As I have previously stated, any effort to attach poison pills that would curtail our legal immigration system and fund an ineffective border wall are complete non-starters for the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.  

“The White House should not play politics with the lives of our nation’s Dreamers. If the bipartisan, bicameral DREAM Act were brought to the floor today, it would have the votes to pass. I urge my Republican colleagues to do the right thing and allow us to vote on a clean DREAM Act before Congress adjourns in December.”

Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, CAPAC Immigration Task Force Chair:

“I have a simple message for President Trump and congressional Republicans: There is no other deal to be made besides passing a clean Dream Act before the end of the year and protecting the 1.5 million young people eligible for relief who had the floor taken out from under them.

“Shamefully, while the futures of these young people hang in the balance, President Trump and his accomplices in Congress are doing nothing but pursuing immigration policies straight from the wishlists of white supremacists.

“Dreamers are woven into the fabric of our country – they are our friends, family, neighbors and co-workers. It is our moral responsibility to ensure they have a future here. I continue to call for all of my Republican colleagues to stand on the side of compassion and pass a clean Dream Act this year.”