LANSING — Recently, negotiations stalled between President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans and Democrats on a plan to address the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and, more broadly, immigration reform. In response, state Rep. Stephanie Chang (D-Detroit) issued the following statement:
“Yesterday, we reflected on Dr. King’s legacy and our work ahead to ensure fairness and opportunity for all people. It’s time for our president and Congress to put aside partisan politics and come up with fair, comprehensive immigration reform. Yesterday — on a day where we celebrated the legacy of a man who was a tireless advocate for change and equality — we saw a hardworking, taxpaying father of U.S.-born children deported from Detroit, to a country he left when he was only 10 years old. We must stop separating families. I am outraged at the lack of action in Washington to keep families like Jorge and Cindy Garcia’s together.
“Congressional leaders and the president must come to an agreement on a plan to keep the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program alive, as well as addressing other key elements of comprehensive immigration reform. One of our nation’s core values is opportunity — it is what brought immigrant families like mine here to America, and what the youth who have benefited from the DACA program and families like the Garcia’s absolutely deserve. The young people who are DACA recipients came here as children because of decisions their parents made, they passed criminal background checks, and they are pursuing higher education or employment.
“We’ve been watching this debate on DACA and immigration play out for too long. It’s time to come together and find a way to do what is right for these dreamers and other immigrants who are now important members of our communities. These are real people who work hard, pay taxes, raise families and contribute to our local and state economy. Members of Congress from both parties need to step up and pass legislation now.”