North Carolina Groups Condemn Decision To End DACA

CHARLOTTE, NC -- Protests have started and several North Carolina organizations have mobilized Tuesday to condemn the Trump Administration's decision to end Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA). Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced earlier in the day that DACA was being "rescinded." He added that the Department of Homeland Security would implement a "wind down" of the program over the next six months.

The decision stands to impact nearly 30,000 in North Carolina, according to program advocates.

President Trump had indicated days ago that the government would have an impending announcement about the controversial program, which was put into effect by President Obama. (Get Patch real-time email alerts for the latest news in Charlotte — or other neighborhoods. And iPhone users: Check out Patch's new app.)

"Make no mistake, we are going to put the interest of American citizens first! The forgotten men and women will no longer be forgotten," the president tweeted early Tuesday.

In Raleigh, the news brought protests, with DACA supporters protesting in front of Sen. Thom Tillis’ office:

Over the past five years, DACA provided federal benefits to about 800,000 illegal immigrants currently between the ages of 15 and 36, the federal government said, with most of the people in their 20s.

As a gesture toward making the process less disruptive, the administration vowed that it would continue to renew permits over the next six months. The time period provides a slight window for Congress to mobilize on behalf of those whose status may expire over that time period, upending their lives in many respects.

WATCH:The Trump Administration Just Announced The End Of DACA

In a statement, Trump blamed Obama for DACA but said his administration would handle its dismantling with "heart and compassion."

"As I've said before, we will resolve the DACA issue with heart and compassion -- but through the lawful Democratic process -- while at the same time ensuring that any immigration reform we adopt provides enduring benefits for the American citizens we were elected to serve," Trump said. "We must also have heart and compassion for unemployed, struggling and forgotten Americans."

The American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina denounced Trump's decision, citing the DACA repeal affects more than 27,000 young people in North Carolina.

“In North Carolina, tens of thousands of our friends and neighbors have used DACA to contribute to the economy, get an education, and invest in the only home they know,” said Irena Como, Staff Attorney for the ACLU of North Carolina. “Today the federal government has turned its back on these young people who came out of the shadows and worked hard to build their lives here.”

“For me and thousands of other young people in North Carolina, DACA has been nothing short of life changing,” Yazmin Garcia Rico, a Masters of Social Work candidate at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, said in a statement. “DACA has given me the chance to open a bank account, buy a car, and pursue my dreams while investing in my community. Revoking this program will mean that hundreds of thousands of young people could lose their ability to drive, to work, and to continue living in the country where we grew up and have established our lives.”

North Carolina Justice Watch issued a statement, saying “The President’s actions not only harm the individuals who benefitted from DACA, but will also jeopardize the economic well-being of all North Carolinians as thousands of these workers lose their jobs. DACA recipients will be forced back into the underground economy – making them vulnerable to exploitation – in turn driving down wages and working conditions for all workers.”

The Council on American-Islamic Relations National Executive Director Nihad Awad said DACA's demise would hearten the anti-immigrant extremists around the nation.

"By terminating DACA, even with a six-month delay or 'wind down,' President Trump is pandering to the demands of anti-immigrant extremists and harming our nation by targeting some of the most dynamic and success-oriented members of society," Awad said. "In practical terms, the 'delay' in implementing the termination is meaningless for the vast majority of Dreamers and will inevitably result in chaos in their lives."

Patch Editor Craig Johnson contributed to this report.

Image via Jacquelyn Martin / Associated Press

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