Sen. Kamala Harris marked the fifth anniversary of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program Thursday to call for continued protection of children brought to America by undocumented immigrant parents.
The California Democrat warned of a “deep uncertainty and fear” felt by those in the program because of the Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration, even though the President has said “the Dreamers should rest easy.”
“These young individuals underwent extensive vetting by the federal government, including submitting detailed personal information about themselves and their loved ones. In exchange, their government promised to protect them, and yet we have seen DACA recipients arrested, detained and even deported under this administration,” Harris said.
Over 700,000 people have registered under the program, with most in California and Texas.
“With one in three DACA recipients living in California, we have an outsized stake in ensuring the continuation of this program,” Harris said. “I remain committed to holding the administration accountable to honor the United States government’s promise to protect them, and to ensure that these young Dreamers are able to live, work, learn and thrive in the only nation they call home.”
