Princeton Mayor Decries The End Of DACA

PRINCETON, NJ — Princeton Mayor Liz Lempert called the decision to end Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) "a cruel decision that will tear apart families, undermine our economy and betrays our values" in a statement Tuesday morning.

The statement came a few hours after Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that the Obama-era policy that protected about 800,000 undocumented immigrants who arrived in the U.S. as minors would be rescinded.

Starting on Wednesday, the administration will not accept any new applications for DACA. Registration in the program lasts for two years. Anyone whose registration expires in the next six months will have until Oct. 5 to apply for another two-year extension. But after DACA recipients' registrations expire outside the six-month window, they will not be able to reapply. This means, in part, that the hundreds of thousands of people who received work permits under the program will be forced to leave their jobs once their registrations expire.

Watch: The Trump Administration Just Announced The End Of DACA

"We cannot admit everyone who would like to come here," Sessions said in the announcement. "It's just that simple."

Lempert said Princeton would continue "to stand as a welcoming community that recognizes that all our residents -- regardless of immigration status-- make vital contributions to the success of our town."

"DACA recipients are in school and college, holding jobs, paying taxes and contributing to our local and national economies. Some have started families," Lempert said. " … We urge Congress to act quickly to create an immigration system that is fair, just and moral. In our community, we will work with our local residents to understand the impact of this decision and continue to support them."

U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez also called for action from Congressional Republicans.

"The fact is today's announcement makes the passage of a clean DREAM Act a national emergency," Menendez said. "Congressional Republicans find themselves at another critical junction where they can put country over party by refusing to stand on the sidelines of this president's self-destructive behavior. Make no mistake, history is on our side and it is my sincere hope Leader McConnell and Speaker Ryan allow us to swiftly vote on a bill that enshrines legal protections for our DREAMers without any unrelated provisions or poison pills. I personally worked for years to convince the Obama administration to create the DACA program and I refuse to let its beneficiaries be further victimized in the name of nativist fear mongering. Now is not the time to sit idly by hoping extremists catch up with reality; it is time for elected leaders to do our job, stand up and protect those who cannot protect themselves."

On Tuesday afternoon, Congressman Leonard Lance (R-7) announced he is co-sponsoring the "Recognizing America's Children Act," which would grant high school graduates without a serious criminal record — and who don't rely on public assistance — conditional immigration status.

If, over a five-year period, they earn a higher-education degree, serve in the military or stay employed, they could apply for permanent residency and, eventually, citizenship, under the proposed legislation. Enlisted military personnel would get to seek naturalization immediately. This bill is sponsored by Florida Republican Congressman Carlos Curbelo.

"Over the coming weeks I intend to work closely with my colleagues and the Administration to pass meaningful immigration reforms that will secure our borders, strengthen employment verification and provide a workable path for 'Dreamers' with DACA status," Lance said.

Princeton is providing information and referrals to legal services through its Human Resources Department, which can be reached at 609-688-2055, and online at http://princetonnj.gov/HS/Information-Resources-Immigrant-Residents.pdf.

The town will once again participate in Welcoming Week, a celebration recognizing the contributions of immigrants to the local community, Sept. 15-24. The event is part of the town's alliance with Welcoming America, a global movement that is working to build welcoming communities that value inclusiveness, unity and diversity.

For a list of events and more information about the event, visit http://princetonnj.gov/HS/HS-Welcoming-Community.html.

Patch file photo