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Thousands Nationwide Protest The End Of DACA And Vow To Defend It

Twitter / CosechaMovement
By September 5, 2017 at 2:52 pm

Before the White House officially announced the end of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, people nationwide were prepared to fight. There had been speculation about the fate of DACA for weeks: President Donald Trump had spoken about the program unfavorably in the past, and then shifted somewhat more recently, saying he would show some heart. Despite the rhetoric, there was no definite conclusion as to what the President would announce today.

In a last-minute attempt, DACA supporters pleaded with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump with a vigil outside their home. Alas, that didn’t stop the White House from rescinding the DACA program. When official word came this morning by Attorney General Jeff Sessions, people were already in the streets demanding justice.

Here’s how people all over the country came out to support DACA.

Washington D.C.

While protestors took to the streets in support of DACA, senators Lindsey Graham (R) and Dick Durbin (D), who reintroduced the DREAM Act to the Senate in July, held a press conference to discuss the proposed law that would provide a pathway to permanent residency to undocumented people who came here as minors. In the press conference, both senators pushed for a bipartisan plan to protect undocumented people from deportation.

Vowing to reach a positive resolution, Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham told DACA beneficiaries: “You have done nothing wrong.”

Connecticut

DACA rally, ECSU.

A post shared by Katie Corrado (@katiecorrado) on

While some students held a rally at Eastern Connecticut State University, another group of Connecticut residents were already on their way to D.C. The Connecticut Mirror is reporting that 40 DREAMers are heading to the nation’s capital for a protest alongside other DREAMers.

Phoenix

Elsewhere in Phoenix, social media reporter Cydney Henderson tweeted that “at least 100 South Mountain High students” marched to the Phoenix police department to support DACA and demand that police be removed from their campus.

San Francisco

Oakland Democratic Rep. Barbara Lee tweeted, “Ending #DACA is cruel and heartless. Congress must act now to protect #DREAMers and pass comprehensive reform once and for all.”

New York City

Members of Movimiento Cosecha sat down and locked hands in front of Trump Tower. Several members were arrested, including nine DACA recipients.

ABC News is reporting that at least 34 people have been arrested at protests in New York City without incident.

Los Angeles

A protest is planned for 5 p.m. at La Placita Olvera in Downtown Los Angeles.

Democratic Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon told the Los Angeles Times: “The Dreamers who were brought to this country as young children, who are American to their core, deserve better.” Rendon added, “The Legislature will do everything we can working with local governments, universities and schools to keep these young people secure, safe and here where they belong.”

Raleigh, North Carolina

“This whole political debate is absolutely ridiculous. The concept of illegality is not real, we were not born illegal,” 20-year-old Jorge Ramos, who is a DACA recipient, said at a protest in Raleigh, according to the News & Observer. “This is all just a complex facade to further criminalize our people and exploit us for our cheap labor and unmerited contributions to this country. All we want to do is go to school and work. Why is that so hard to swallow…I know that in the end, justice will be on our side. Don’t be discouraged. We are worth so much more than this and we are here to stay.”

Denver

News reports estimate that about 1,100 Denver students walked out of class this morning to protest the DACA announcement.

San Jose

San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo said in a press release that he will support DACA recipients in his city.

“The Attorney General’s announcement of the Trump Administration’s rescission of DACA abandons 800,000 of America’s hardest-working, most patriotic residents,” Liccardo said. “Punting the issue to Congress, without any affirmative leadership to enact a legislative solution, amounts to a cowardly cop-out, placing the futures of these young women and men in serious jeopardy.”

San Diego

San Diego Rep. Susan Davis says that ending the program will have a negative effect on the economy. “He has not only put them at risk, but our economy at risk as well. While it’s sad that Trump is siding with the worst elements of his administration, it’s not surprising given his past rhetoric on immigration,” Davis said in a statement.

Miami

“If they take DACA away, I hope they do something permanent for us,” 20-year-old Javiera Garate told The Miami Herald. “Not just take away the entire opportunity. If they do that, what do we do?”

Boston

U.S. Senator Edward J. Markey tweeted: “We will #DefendDACA so that all Dreamers in Massachusetts have the same chance to succeed. #DACAWorks”

Chicago

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel tweeted: “President Trump’s decision to end #DACA strikes a blow against our core American values and is an affront to basic human decency.”

READ: The Trump Administration Has Officially Rescinded DACA. Here’s What You Need To Know.

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Activists, Politicians And Celebs React To The Announcement To Rescind DACA

things that matter

Activists, Politicians And Celebs React To The Announcement To Rescind DACA

teqmin / Ted Eytan / Flickr
By Jorge Rodriguez-Jimenez September 5, 2017 at 3:31 pm

The Trump administration officially announced the rescission of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). It was acting Attorney General Jeff Sessions that addressed the media earlier today to make the announcement that the program that offered undocumented people brought to the U.S. as children a chance to work, go to school and live a life free of fear. The announcement was met with reactions from politicians, activists and celebrities calling the move wrong and demanding that Congress act to shield those protected by DACA, known as DREAMers.

Illinois Representative Luis Gutierrez was quick to respond to the news that DACA is being rescinded.

“I personally will not support any funding bill that does not include a safe harbor for DREAMers – and I will work to have others join me in opposition,” Rep. Gutierrez says in a statement. “If they need our votes, we are bringing 800,000 young immigrants with us.”

Texas Representative Joaquin Castro called the decision what it is: a tragedy.

“Republicans must make a choice: will they stand with President Trump and help carry out his mass deportation plan, or will they act on behalf of the majority of Americans who support DACA? This decision is not just about policy; it defines our morality,” Rep. Castro says in a statement. “There has never been a more urgent need for Congress to act and take a stand for Dreamers.”

Senator Catherine Cortez Masto, who represents Nevada, pointed to Trump’s lack of conviction about the DACA announcement.

General Attorney Sessions made the announcement this morning to the press with President Trump nowhere to be found.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo didn’t rest on the importance of the decision.

There are more than 30,000 DACA recipients living in New York City alone. The loss of 30,000 people from the workforce would have a noticeable impact.

Cher went straight or the “open your home then” argument and shut ?? it ?? down. ??

Didn’t even give them the chance to use that argument.

Florida Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen is calling on Congress to give the Dream Act serious consideration to save DREAMers.

Rep. Ros-Lehtinen, a Republican, teamed up with California Representative Lucille Roybal-Allard to introduce the new DREAM Act of 2017. The same bill was introduced to the Senate by Illinois Senator Dick Durbin, a Democrat, and South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, a Republican. The Dream Act 2017 has bipartisan support and would offer the very people impacted by today’s decision a chance to stay in the U.S.

Political activist America Ferrera pledged her support to DREAMers.

✊? ✊? ✊? ✊? ✊?

President Obama, who created the DACA program via executive order, also made a strong statement.

“Immigration can be a controversial topic. We all want safe, secure borders and a dynamic economy, and people of goodwill can have legitimate disagreements about how to fix our immigration system so that everybody plays by the rules,” President Obama wrote on Facebook. “But that’s not what the action that the White House took today is about. This is about young people who grew up in America – kids who study in our schools, young adults who are starting careers, patriots who pledge allegiance to our flag. These Dreamers are Americans in their hearts, in their minds, in every single way but one: on paper. They were brought to this country by their parents, sometimes even as infants. They may not know a country besides ours. They may not even know a language besides English. They often have no idea they’re undocumented until they apply for a job, or college, or a driver’s license.”

Fifth Harmony member had some very strong words for President Trump.

? ? ?

And for all those asking why legislation wasn’t passed during Obama’s presidency, Rep. Castro laid that to rest by reminding us of the Republican obstructionists.

We could have avoided this but Republicans didn’t want to vote to pass this legislation.


READ: The Trump Administration Has Officially Rescinded DACA. Here’s What You Need To Know

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Joaquin Castro, politics, Gina Rodriguez, DACA, Immigration Rights, Twitter