“The Trump administration memo, issued yesterday, was another cruel attempt to deport, demean and detain immigrants. Trump’s decision to accept no new applicants in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and renew protections for one year instead of two is a step on the road to dismantling the program. It circumvents the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision and is another disgraceful attempt to sow hatred and division.

“With this move, the administration is forcing young immigrants, many of whom are putting their lives on the line to provide life-saving health care and other essential services during this pandemic, to live under a cloud of uncertainty about whether they will be able to stay in the only country they have ever called home. It is cruel and it is reckless, like so many other Trump administration actions, including tearing apart asylum-seeking families and using law enforcement to terrorize immigrant communities.

“Immigrants make our country stronger and successful. The majority of Americans support immigrant youth and DACA has strong, bipartisan support. The time for ducking and delays is over. Congress must create a pathway to citizenship for DACA recipients and put permanent protections in place without hurting our other immigrant communities, as well as extend Employment Authorization Documents and cut funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection. State and local leaders must step up to protect the immigrants in their communities.”