TRUMP’ S PLAN TO END DA CA PROGRAM SPARKS OUTCRY

Administration giving Congress six months to create legislative fix

WASHINGTON » President Donald Trump on Tuesday began dismantling the government program protecting hundreds of thousands of young immigrants who were brought into the country illegally as children. Attorney General Jeff Sessions declared the Obama administration’s program “an unconstitutional exercise of authority” that must be revoked.

New applications will be halted for President Barack Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which has provided nearly 800,000 young immigrants a reprieve from deportation and the ability towork legally in the U. S. inthe form of two- year, renewable work permits.

“I’m here today to announce that the program known as DACA that was effectuated un--

der the Obama administration is being rescinded,” Sessions announced.

But the administration is giving Congress sixmonths to come upwith a legislative fix — “should it choose to,” Sessions said — before the government stops renewing permits for people already covered by the program.

According to Department of Homeland Security officials, people with permits whose renewals are set to expire between now and March 5, 2018, will be able to re- apply — so long as their applications are submitted by Oct. 5, 2017, one month from Tuesday. No permits will be revoked before their existing expiration dates, and applications already in the pipeline will be processed, they said.

Trump, in a statement, said the change would be “a gradual process, not a sudden phase out.”

“Thus, in effect, I am not going to just cut DACA off, but rather provide a window of opportunity for Congress to finally act,” he said. He said he did not favor punishing children for the actions of their parents. At the same time, though, “we must also recognize that we are a nation of opportunity because we are a nation of law” and “young Americans have dreams, too.”

His action drew swift criticism from many immigration advocates and Democratic lawmakers.

House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi called Trump’s decision “a deeply shameful act of political cowardice and a despicable assault on innocent young people in communities across America.”

Some Republicans objected, too.

Sen. John McCain of Arizona said Trump was taking “the wrong approach,” and he added:

“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.”

JACQUELYN MARTIN Yurexi Quinones, 24, of Manassas, Va., a college student who is studying social work and a recipient of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, known as DACA, rallies next to Ana Rice, 18, of Manassas, Va., far right, in support of DACA, outside of the...

CAROLYN KASTER A woman holds up a sign that reads “Defend DACA Defend TPS” during a rally supporting Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, outside theWhite House inWashington, on Monday. TPS stands for “Temporary Protected Status.”

JACQUELYN MARTIN Carlos Esteban, 31, of Woodbridge, Va., a nursing student and recipient of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, known as DACA, rallies with others in support of DACA outside of the White House, in Washington, on Tuesday.