“President Donald Trump's decision to end a program that protects hundreds of thousands of people who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children could cost the economy hundreds of billions of dollars over the next decade.
“Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Tuesday announced the "wind down" over the next six months of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which shields some 800,000 young immigrants from deportation. Unless Congress acts to replace the Obama-era program with similar protections, those people would no longer be allowed to work in the U.S.
“The loss of those workers, and the paychecks they earn, would dampen the American economy, hitting hardest in states like California and Florida with the largest share of DACA participants, according to groups that support the protection of those immigrants from deportation.
In announcing the repeal of DACA, Attorney General Jeff Sessions cited one of the Trump administration's most vile lies about immigrants. He claimed that the program, "denied jobs to hundreds of thousands of Americans by allowing those same illegal aliens to take those jobs."
Rubbish. Immigrants strengthen the workforce and add to demand, which creates more jobs for everyone. According to the Center for American Progress, ending DACA will cost the economy more than $400 billion over the next decade.
Let's be clear, this was not an economic decision. This was nothing more than a cruel attempt to pander to his base as his approval numbers tank. We must reject this bigotry and hatred and fight for these kids.
By John W. Schoen
