According to The Guardian, Donald Trump’s decision to dismantle the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (Daca) program from next March will leave almost a million young immigrants vulnerable of deportation.
They fear that the personal information they voluntarily handed the federal government in signing up for the scheme could now be turned against them to facilitate their own deportations.
What is Daca?
Daca is a federal government program created in 2012 under Barack Obama to allow people brought to the US illegally as children the temporary right to live, study and work legally in America.
Those applying are vetted for any criminal history or threat to national security and must be students or have completed school or military service. If they pass vetting, action to deport them is deferred for two years, with a chance to renew, and they become eligible for basics like a driving license, college enrollment or a work permit.
Those protected under Daca are known as “Dreamers”
Upon the announcement of Trump’s move to end Daca, Americans reacted heavily on social media expressing their views on the decision.
The following are random samples from twitter:
I support #DACA with all my heart, and I will fight to protect it. You can also support w/out falling back on "we are all immigrants."
— Dr. Adrienne Keene (@NativeApprops) September 6, 2017
#WednesdayWisdom
Dreamers who have been here since infancy are just as American as @FLOTUS and we should all fight to keep them here. #DACA— Jacob Gil (@jacob4kids) September 6, 2017
Let us be clear…#DACA is unconstitutional.
Allowing it to remain for another 6 months is to continue violating the Constitution.
— Mark Pantano (@TheMarkPantano) September 6, 2017
How Democrats can respond to Trump's #DACA decision. #MorningJoe pic.twitter.com/7BLrYZk2I0
— Doogie Yowza (@DoogieYowza) September 6, 2017
Trump's attack on #DACA dishonors our values. I was undocumented once. Now, I'm fighting to #ProtectDREAMers & pass the DREAM Act. pic.twitter.com/Krx1odXsEr
— Rep. Ruben J. Kihuen (@RepKihuen) September 6, 2017
If an illegal has a job and a citizen or legal immigrant doesn't, the illegal needs to be deported.
It really is that simple. #DACA
— John Cardillo (@johncardillo) September 6, 2017
If #DACA was ended when I was a kid, I wouldn't be here now.
— Natalia Brzezinski (@natalbrzezinski) September 6, 2017
Best principal TF South ever had! 👏🏼 #DACA pic.twitter.com/rj0GBkWGju
— kasandra🎄 (@moraales__) September 6, 2017
My heart goes out tonight to all those impacted by this heinous act of rescinding #DACA. We will fight for you with all our might. #resist
— Amy Siskind 🏳️🌈 (@Amy_Siskind) September 6, 2017
https://twitter.com/shayfromonline/status/905206774315278336
Local groups join march to defend #DACA here at Market Square in Houston @KPRC2 pic.twitter.com/icat2jn4AT
— KPRC2 Rose-Ann Aragon (@KPRC2RoseAnn) September 5, 2017
I CAN'T support #DACA because it was Obama's idea! His statement says I'm cruel & wrong! It's NOT FARE that he looks presidential & I don't! https://t.co/uNWCeI7hZx
— Donald J. Trump ᵖᵃʳᵒᵈʸ (@realDonaldTrFan) September 5, 2017
We are a land of opportunity, a land for dreamers, a land for all. We will defend this conscious liberty. #DACA pic.twitter.com/gyN86ytPPm
— Notion (@fixednotion) September 5, 2017