Kaine Statement On President Trump's Decision To End DACA

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement on President Trump’s decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program:  

“President Trump has made a heartless decision to target hundreds of thousands of young people who were brought to the United States through no fault of their own, breaking his promise that these ‘incredible kids’ could ‘rest easy’ and putting them at risk for being torn away from their families. In Virginia, 12,000 of these Dreamers are neighbors, friends, and students who just want the opportunity to contribute to their communities and our economy. Today's action will force DACA recipients back into the shadows and put them in danger of being deported from the only home they’ve ever known.  Congress should immediately pass the bipartisan DREAM Act to protect these kids and then find an agreement on long-overdue, comprehensive immigration reform.”

Kaine, who has been a strong supporter of DACA and comprehensive immigration reform, met last week with DACA recipients in Alexandria who shared their stories about how the program has made a difference in their lives. DACA recipients—also known as “Dreamers”—were brought here at a young age, through no fault of their own, and have made countless contributions to the country’s economy and their communities. 

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