Booker Statement on Trump’s Decision to End DACA

WASHINGTON, D.C. –  U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) issued the below statement following Trump’s announcement that he would end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, also known as DACA. This decision means that hundreds of thousands of Dreamers who were brought to this country as kids will be at risk of deportation.

“Today’s decision is a moral catastrophe that should shake us all to the core. The President of the United States has decided to tear apart hundreds of thousands of families and target hardworking young people who were brought to this country by their parents. In addition, President Trump is violating the trust that Dreamers placed in the U.S. government when they came forward to comply with the law and apply for DACA.

“Dreamers are productive members of society who contribute positively to our communities and boost our economy. Shutting the door of American opportunity and sending them back to countries they barely know is cruel, unjust, and flies in the face of what our country stands for.

“Congress can and should circumvent this misguided decision by passing legislation that will protect the hundreds of thousands of Dreamers who are now facing deportation. Congress must also act to finally fix our broken immigration system and pass comprehensive immigration reform that offers a pathway to citizenship for millions of Americans living in the shadows, keeps families together, and lives up to our highest ideals and values.