NDLON Statement in Response to Termination of DACA

Los Angeles, CA – On Tuesday, President Donald J. Trump officially ended the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

In response, Pablo Alvarado, Executive Director of the National Day Laborer & Organizing Network (NDLON) issued the following statement:

“Today’s announcement constitutes a considerable challenge for U.S. democracy. Dictators take hostages, and Mr. Trump is clearly aspiring to become a dictator. In essence, Mr. Trump has decided to hold millions of immigrant lives hostage in an effort to rig a negotiation with Congress.

“Mr. Trump has terrorized and scapegoated immigrants since announcing his candidacy. He now wants to exploit desperation and fear in a cowardly attempt to use young immigrants as a legislative bargaining chip. But he is underestimating our courage. While he tries to take America backward, we will continue to make progress towards racial, political, and economic justice.

“There is a national consensus that immigrants who came to the U.S. as children deserve citizenship and full equality. The challenge for the millions of citizens shocked by Trump’s cruelty will be to support DACA recipients while resisting a racist agenda to criminalize millions of other immigrants. 

“The challenge facing all immigrants – and not just DACA recipients – is to seek liberation without sacrificing equality. We must refuse to pay ransom for rights that are owed to us. And we must reject the white supremacist logic that some people should earn legalization at the expense of criminalizing others.

“In the coming days, our collective action – not words or gestures – will define what kind of country we will live in. Anyone outraged by today’s despicable display should feel compelled to action – and to resist.”

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