WASHINGTON – Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) and U.S. Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-2nd) issued statements Sept. 5 in response to President Donald Trump’s decision to rescind President Barack Obama’s “Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals” (DACA) program.
Booker’s Statement
“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.”
LoBiondo’s Statement
“It was clear from the beginning that President Obama’s DACA program was a violation of executive authority. As designed by our founders, laws must be created by Congress. President Trump is right to call out Congress for failing to address critical immigration issues for many years.
“As I have previously stated, young people who came to our nation through no fault of their own should not be punished for the illegal actions of adults. I will again support and vote for legislation that ensures a permanent solution for ‘dreamers’ so they may continue to live and work in our great country that many of them have only known.”
