Friday, September 08, 2017

Cleaver: Dreamers, do not give up

(From Fifth District Congressman Emanuel Cleaver)

In these trying times, my heart has never been so heavy. This week Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced President Trump’s plan to rescind DACA, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program established by President Obama in 2012. I was not surprised by the announcement but deeply saddened by the coldness of heart.

This program protects young people who came to this country as children from deportation. By choosing to end this program, President Trump has put the future of 800,000 young adults in turmoil.

I could not imagine being given a sentence of six months to find a new home in a foreign country or knowing that I would be deported and pulled away from my family and the only home I’ve ever known.
My heart sank as I listened to the story of a young Dreamer who is now a firefighter and risks his life every day to save others. Yet, our government is telling him, it doesn’t matter. He doesn’t matter.

My heart sank when I thought of the soldiers who currently serve in the military and defend my right to sleep peacefully every night but because they are DACA recipients, their sacrifice doesn’t matter. What are we telling these children who trusted their government to come forward? They chose to do the right thing - to come out of the shadows and be allowed the opportunity to contribute to this society.

Deporting 800 thousand young lives from the only home they have ever known is nothing less than heartless and shameful.

To all the Dreamers, do not give up. Our President may show he doesn’t care about your future but there are many of us who do care. I will vote for the Dream Act and I will fight for you.

1 comment:

Harvey Hutchinson said...

That is wrong!! For starters constitutionally it is a Congressional responsibility, nitbthd President,
Obama broke the las and the constitution; he should have been impeached.
Trump is trying to clean up the mess and gave a six month grace period.

It's not fair to all those immigrants in line doing it the legal way for DACA's to get a break and jump the line

They could get special points for military service, first responders, medical professionals in rural and Indian lands and teaching in inner city, etc.

And legitimate students should have student visas right away

Harvey Hutchinson 303-522-6622 voice&text