Sen. Whitehouse releases statement on DACA

Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement regarding President Donald Trump’s decision to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which allows undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as minors to remain in their communities without fear of deportation:

“This decision is shameful and cruel. These are children of our nation who had no say in coming here. They’ve studied diligently and worked hard to make a better future for themselves and their families. They’ve given back to their communities. This program takes those contributions into account and grants well-earned peace of mind.

“Throughout my time in the Senate, I’ve pushed for a comprehensive plan to fix our immigration system. That plan should secure our borders and establish a tough process for those here illegally to get right by the law. But it must treat people – especially children – humanely.

“Unraveling this program confronts none of the major problems with our immigration system. Instead, the President is breaking apart families and bruising our economy. And, on the heels of Charlottesville, he is signaling to champions of hate and bigotry that their voices matter most.”