Congress must act to save Dreamers

It is unconscionable that a U.S. president would play politics with the lives of 800,000 young people who have done no wrong of their own. These young people, 8,000 of them in Connecticut, trusted the government and now are betrayed.

President Donald Trump on Tuesday rescinded the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, a policy enacted by then-President Barack Obama in 2012 that pertains to those brought as children to this country illegally by their parents. They had no choice, and most would not remember life in their home country. Guidelines under DACA were strict — students had to maintain good grades and have no criminal activity — and in return they could receive working permits and two-year waivers against deportation.

Called Dreamers, these young people by and large tried to be responsible citizens, earn high school and college diplomas, find jobs, pay taxes. Now their futures are in turmoil.

Trump’s heartless decision smacks of politics. Not only is he pandering to his anti-immigration base, but also by pushing the issue to Congress he can use it as a wedge to muster support for his unrealistic wall along the border of Mexico. The ploy is shameful.

The president’s reasons and Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ justifications for ending the policy are faulty. Sessions said, and Trump echoed, that DACA took jobs from “hundreds of thousands” of Americans, while putting the nation at risk “of crime, violence and terrorism.” Economic studies are to the contrary. It was a “lawless policy” invoked by Obama, Sessions said, but actually it was within presidential power.

Though some would agree with Trump, starting with the attorney general, most Americans do not. Only 15 percent in a recent Politico/Morning Consult poll said the Dreamers should be deported. In contrast, two-thirds of voters said Dreamers should be allowed work permits — and the support crosses party lines with 57 percent of Republicans, 69 percent of Independents and 78 percent of Democrats.

Well-respected business leaders are speaking out against Trump’s recension. Microsoft President and Chief Legal Officer Brad Smith said the company would protect its DACA employees from deportation. The government is “going to have to go through us to get that person,” Smith said in a NPR interview.

Any action would not be immediate. Trump’s decision calls for six months to phase out DACA. On Wednesday Connecticut joined 15 other states and the District of Columbia to sue the Trump administration, overturn his decision, and block federal agencies from using DACA immigration information for enforcement attempts.

Trump punted to Congress, which is little comfort, for a legislative fix. The Republican majority must listen to the people, and to economic leaders who say this issue is a higher priority than tax reform.

In the House, the American Hope Act co-sponsored by 138 Democrats would codify DACA; in the Senate, the bipartisan Dream Act is co-sponsored by Sen. Richard Blumenthal. These are reasonable starting points.

Tell Congress that compassion and good sense are up to them now.

Called Dreamers, these young people by and large tried to be responsible citizens, earn high school and college diplomas, find jobs, pay taxes. Now their futures are in turmoil.