Congressman Emanuel Cleaver, II denounced President Trump’s decision recently to terminate the Deferred Action For Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and reaffirms his commitment to protecting our country’s Dreamers. Today, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the administration will end DACA with a six month delay.

“DACA allowed determined and hopeful youth to come out of the shadows and into the light. These children trusted their government to take care of them which is why they came forward. Now, this administration is turning their backs on them and I will not turn my back on them,” said Congressman Emanuel Cleaver.

In Missouri, DACA has allowed more than 3,500 young people to come forward. They passed background checks and currently live and work legally in this country. A recent survey found that after receiving DACA, recipients moved to jobs with better pay that matched their education and training. Ending DACA would cost Missouri more than $209 million in annual GDP losses according to a report from the Washington: Center for American Progress, 2017.

Since the program was established in 2012, over 800 thousand young people have come forward who were granted temporary protection from deportation.

“There simply is no reason for this immoral decision. DACA recipients have grown up in this country, served in this country’s military, have attended school in this country, and worked hard for this country. It is up to us in Congress now to work together to protect the Dreamers and allow them to stay here with their families,” said Congressman Cleaver.