“The Trump Administration’s decision today to end Delayed Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) is an inhumane act that runs completely counter to our core values as Jews, Americans and Zionists,” declared Kenneth Bob, National President of Ameinu, the largest grassroots Progressive Zionist movement in North America.
DACA was created in 2012 through an Executive Order from President Barack Obama. Today’s decision to end DACA means that over 800,000 young people – brought to the United States without authorization while under the age of six — will lose protection from deportation and authorization to work legally. “President Trump, Attorney General Sessions and others in the Administration have shamed our country, justifying this cruel act by maligning DACA recipients as criminals — a claim which is contradicted by the rigorous vetting criteria of the DACA program,” Bob declared.
“Ameinu is animated by the core Jewish value of justice for the stranger living among us, Zionist ideals that newcomers are essential in building their new land and America’s identity as a nation of immigrants seeking safety and opportunity. In the stories of the DACA recipients we see powerful echoes of our own immigrant ancestors, as well as the waves of migrants who have created Israel and fulfilled the promise of Zionism,” said Gideon Aronoff, Ameinu’s CEO.
“As supporters of Comprehensive Immigration Reform and the DREAM Act, both proposals which would legislatively address the cause of DACA recipients, Ameinu has long called for the U.S. House and Senate to pass legislation on this issue. Since president Trump’s DACA decision punts on justice, giving congress six months to solve the problem before the order goes into effect, Ameinu insists that our elected officials rise to this challenge and act now to protect the DACA youth. We will be working during this window of opportunity to hold their feet to the fire,” Aronoff concluded.
