Trump's decision to end DACA sparks backlash from both sides of the aisle
Republican Texas Sen. John Cornyn, who is also the second highest-ranking Republican in the Senate, emphasized his belief that Congress needed to work out a "long-term resolution" to protect DREAMers from being deported.
![Trump's decision to end DACA sparks backlash from both sides of the aisle](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstaticbiassets.in%2Fthumb%2Fmsid-60383063%2Cwidth-700%2Cheight-525%2Cimgsize-76213%2Frepublican-texas-sen-john-cornyn-who-is-also-the-second-highest-ranking-republican-in-the-senate-emphasized-his-belief-that-congress-needed-to-work-out-a-long-term-resolution-to-protect-dreamers-from-being-deported-.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch said he had urged Trump not to rescind the program, because it puts DREAMers, "who were brought here as children through no fault of their own, in an extremely difficult position."
![Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch said he had urged Trump not to rescind the program, because it puts DREAMers, "who were brought here as children through no fault of their own, in an extremely difficult position."](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-60383064,width-700,height-525,imgsize-47995/utah-sen-orrin-hatch-said-he-had-urged-trump-not-to-rescind-the-program-because-it-puts-dreamers-who-were-brought-here-as-children-through-no-fault-of-their-own-in-an-extremely-difficult-position-.jpg)
Hatch added that while he agreed the US needs a stricter immigration policy, it also needs a "real, permanent solution" from Congress recognizing the contributions DREAMers make to society and the economy.
Source: Twitter
Major business leaders also spoke out against DACA's removal. Business Roundtable, a large group of influential CEOs led by JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon, released a statement opposing ending the program without a legislative solution in place.
![Major business leaders also spoke out against DACA](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-60383065,width-700,height-525,imgsize-1195636/major-business-leaders-also-spoke-out-against-dacas-removal-business-roundtable-a-large-group-of-influential-ceos-led-by-jpmorgan-ceo-jamie-dimon-released-a-statement-opposing-ending-the-program-without-a-legislative-solution-in-place-.jpg)
"America is and always has been a country of immigrants," Dimon said in the statement. "We should do everything in our power to continue to attract the best and brightest because they make us stronger as a people and as an economy. And, when people come here to learn, work hard and give back to their communities, we should allow them to stay in the United States."
Arizona Sen. John McCain came out against the administration's decision and said that children "who were illegally brought into this country through no fault of their own should not be forced to return to a country they do not know."
![Arizona Sen. John McCain came out against the administration](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-60383066,width-700,height-525,imgsize-738558/arizona-sen-john-mccain-came-out-against-the-administrations-decision-and-said-that-children-who-were-illegally-brought-into-this-country-through-no-fault-of-their-own-should-not-be-forced-to-return-to-a-country-they-do-not-know-.jpg)
McCain also said Trump's decision was "the wrong approach to immigration policy at a time when both sides of the aisle need to come together" on immigration reform.
"The 800,000 innocent young people granted deferred action under DACA over the last several years are pursuing degrees, starting careers, and contributing to our communities in important ways," McCain said in a statement. "While I disagreed with President Obama’s unilateral action on this issue, I believe that rescinding DACA at this time is an unacceptable reversal of the promises and opportunities that have been conferred to these individuals."
He continued: "The federal government has a responsibility to defend and secure our borders, but we must do so in a way that upholds all that is decent and exceptional about our nation. I will be working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to devise and pass comprehensive immigration reform, which will include the DREAM Act."
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi called the Trump administration's decision "a deeply shameful act of political cowardice and a despicable assault on innocent young people in communities across America."
![House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi called the Trump administration](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-60383067,width-700,height-525,imgsize-45361/house-minority-leader-nancy-pelosi-called-the-trump-administrations-decision-a-deeply-shameful-act-of-political-cowardice-and-a-despicable-assault-on-innocent-young-people-in-communities-across-america-.jpg)
She added that carrying out the order to rescind DACA would destroy the lives of thousands of "patriotic young people, costing the economy billions and betraying the fundamental values of the American Dream."
Pelosi echoed Schumer's assessment that the decision was "heartless" and cruel, and said that it warranted an immediate response from the Republican-controlled Congress.
House Speaker Paul Ryan praised Trump's decision to end DACA. He called the program "a clear abuse of executive authority, an attempt to create law out of thin air," and said that by rescinding the program, Trump was fulfilling his promise to restore the proper role of the executive and legislative branches.
![House Speaker Paul Ryan praised Trump](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-60383068,width-700,height-525,imgsize-4708/house-speaker-paul-ryan-praised-trumps-decision-to-end-daca-he-called-the-program-a-clear-abuse-of-executive-authority-an-attempt-to-create-law-out-of-thin-air-and-said-that-by-rescinding-the-program-trump-was-fulfilling-his-promise-to-restore-the-proper-role-of-the-executive-and-legislative-branches-.jpg)
Ryan added, however, that there is still more to do, and that it's up to Congress to work with Trump to come up with a comprehensive solution to the immigration issue.
Former Vice President Joe Biden tweeted: "Brought by parents, these children had no choice in coming here. Now they'll be sent to countries they've never known. Cruel. Not America."
![Former Vice President Joe Biden tweeted: "Brought by parents, these children had no choice in coming here. Now they](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-60383069,width-700,height-525,imgsize-50768/former-vice-president-joe-biden-tweeted-brought-by-parents-these-children-had-no-choice-in-coming-here-now-theyll-be-sent-to-countries-theyve-never-known-cruel-not-america-.jpg)
Source: Twitter
Democratic Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin, who first introduced the DREAM Act sixteen years ago, said that "despite many of the terrible immigration policies" Trump's administration has put forward, "I have always held out the hope that President Trump would keep his work [sic] and 'take care' of the Dreamers. After all, the President told American, 'we love the Dreamers.'"
![Democratic Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin, who first introduced the DREAM Act sixteen years ago, said that "despite many of the terrible immigration policies" Trump](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-60383070,width-700,height-525,imgsize-4798/democratic-illinois-sen-dick-durbin-who-first-introduced-the-dream-act-sixteen-years-ago-said-that-despite-many-of-the-terrible-immigration-policies-trumps-administration-has-put-forward-i-have-always-held-out-the-hope-that-president-trump-would-keep-his-work-sic-and-take-care-of-the-dreamers-after-all-the-president-told-american-we-love-the-dreamers-.jpg)
The Illinois senator then pushed for Congress to quickly act to halt the "mass deportations" of Dreamers.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer released a statement calling the decision "heartless" for "ripping apart families and telling people who have worked hard to become Americans for years that they have to leave the country."
![Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer released a statement calling the decision "heartless" for "ripping apart families and telling people who have worked hard to become Americans for years that they have to leave the country."](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-60383071,width-700,height-525,imgsize-467743/senate-minority-leader-chuck-schumer-released-a-statement-calling-the-decision-heartless-for-ripping-apart-families-and-telling-people-who-have-worked-hard-to-become-americans-for-years-that-they-have-to-leave-the-country-.jpg)
Schumer added that ending DACA will have a substantial "human and economic toll" and that Democrats would do "everything we can to prevent President Trump's terribly wrong order from becoming reality."
Popular Right Now
Advertisement