MID-HUDSON – As President Trump delayed his termination of the DACA program for six months to give Congress time to consider action of its own, Local Latino leaders on both sides of the political aisle have called for retention of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, children of undocumented people in the United States, the so-called “dreamers.”
Sonya Ayala, chairwoman of the Orange County Latino Democratic Committee, called the Trump Administration’s consideration of cancelling DACA very upsetting.
“Ninety-five percent of them work,” Ayala said. “Many of them go to school. They are in the military, so they are serving our country and they are productive individuals. It’s a crime to do this to them.”
Ruben Estrada, president of the National Orange County Republican Latino Committee breaks ranks with the Republican President on the DACA issue.
“As long as they are productive people doing the right thing – if they violate the law it’s a different story – but the truth of the matter is this shouldn’t all apply as one and deported as many people might want them to be,” Estrada said.
Meanwhile, the Rev. Richard Witt, executive director of Rural and Migrant Ministry in Poughkeepsie, wrote to President Trump.
“I would argue that they are already citizens in terms of exhibiting tremendous citizenship,” Wit said. “I know many young people who are working very hard to volunteer in our communities and taking leadership roles and contributing much to our society, all hallmarks of good citizenship.”
Witt urged the President to “follow your heart” and not put the young people’s “lives in danger.”
