Statement of Milly Silva, 1199SEIU EVP, on President Trump’s Decision to End DACA
Statement of Milly Silva, 1199SEIU EVP, on President Trump’s Decision to End DACA
Statement of Milly Silva, Executive Vice President of 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East:
The President’s decision to terminate DACA is a cruel and shameless act with potentially devastating consequences for nearly one million innocent young people, including some 20,000 New Jerseyans, who are Americans in every way except on paper.
This abhorrent decision paves the way for the mass deportation of young people to foreign counties where many have little, if any, connection or attachment. It harkens back to some of the worst episodes in our nation’s racial history and is a clear attempt by the Trump Administration to further appease white supremacists and stoke xenophobic resentment.
The Dreamers whose lives will be upended by this decision represent the very best of the American spirit and we must do everything we can to protect their right to remain here, both for their own futures and for the betterment of our state and country. New Jersey alone would lose $1.6 billion in annual economic output if Dreamers are forced out of employment, according a recent study by the Center for American Progress.
The caregivers of 1199SEIU, who hail from dozens of countries and every continent, call on Congress to immediately work towards legislation that secures a path for millions of immigrant families to come out of the shadows and participate fully in public life.
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1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East is the largest and fastest-growing healthcare union in New Jersey and nationwide. We represent over 16,000 healthcare families in New Jersey and over 400,000 total members throughout New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, Maryland, Florida, and Washington, D.C. Our mission is to achieve quality care and good jobs for all.
