Statement from Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, executive director and CEO of MomsRising, a national online and on-the-ground organization of more than 1 million mothers and their families:
Photo by Diane Greene Lent on Flickr
“President Trump’s heartless and damaging decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program will have dire consequences for our communities and our economy. Our diversity is what makes our nation strong, innovative and prosperous; and not the opposite. With this decision, the President has not only turned his back on the 800,000 young adults living and working in this country, but also on America’s economic success — which depends on these members of our communities to continue fueling our nation’s economic growth. This move, which is opposed by an overwhelming majority of American voters who favor legal status for DACA recipients, once again proves that the Trump Administration will stop at nothing to advance its racist, cruel agenda.
“Since 2012, DACA has provided these young adults with opportunities to live, learn and work in the only country many of them have ever known. Young DREAMers represent the best that our country has to offer. The hard work of DACA recipients contributes greatly to our economy and to our nation’s productivity, strength and vitality. A new report finds that, for every business day DACA renewals are put on hold, more than 1,400 jobs are lost. Indeed, ending DACA will remove tens of thousands of young people from the workforce, reducing our country’s GDP, saddling employers with unnecessary turnover costs and robbing our nation of $1.2 billion in tax revenue.
Photo by Avery Anderson and Miranda McHodgkins for Met TV on Flickr
“President Trump’s move is heartless. There is no reason not to keep the program in place while pressing Congress to act. It follows his appalling comments suggesting equivalency between the violent, racist protesters in Charlottesville and those who stood against them — and his shameful pardon of Sheriff Joe Arpaio. Ending DACA is further evidence that he sides with bigots and white supremacists and against diversity, inclusion and other American values. This is not presidential – it is short-sighted, cruel and terribly harmful to our nation.
“America’s mothers stand against this decision and in support of DREAMers, because we know that our country is strongest when we provide young people with hope and opportunity and when we help families stay together, not tear them apart. This callous decision is a rejection of American ideals and will cause lasting damage to our communities and our economy. The moms of America will continue to urge Congress to pass the DREAM Act and to protect and support DREAMers – and we will not forget that President Trump refused to do the same.”
MomsRising.org is an on-the-ground and online grassroots organization of more than a million people who are working to increase family economic security, decrease discrimination against women and moms, and to build a nation where businesses and families can thrive. Established in 2006, MomsRising and its members are organizing and speaking out to improve public policy and to change the national dialogue on issues that are critically important to America’s families, including criminal justice reform, immigration policy reform, and gun safety. MomsRising is working for paid family and medical leave, affordable, high quality childcare and early learning, and for an end to the wage and hiring discrimination which penalizes women—particularly moms and women of color — and so many others. MomsRising advocates for access to healthy food for all kids, health care for all, earned sick days, and breastfeeding rights so that all children can have a healthy start. MomsRising maintains a Spanish language website: MamásConPoder.org. Sign up online at www.MomsRising.org— and follow us on our blog, and on Twitter and Facebook.