Dreamers arrested outside Trump Tower in New York
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Dreamers who rallied outside Trump Tower were arrested by the New York Police this afternoon. The protests erupted after President Trump ended the DACA program, which protected nearly 800,000 young undocumented immigrants. The fate of DACA, which is set to expire in March 2018, now remains in the hands of Congress.
This afternoon, many Dreamers who protested outside Trump Tower in New York were arrested by the police. The protesters were charged with sitting on the road and disrupting the traffic. Rallies also erupted outside the White House, in Washington D.C, after Trump decided to end DACA.
The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival program granted protection to children whose parents were undocumented. The Obama-era measure gave temporary legal status to nearly 800,000 young undocumented immigrants.
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President Trump felt conflicted about this decision at first. He repeatedly said that he did not favor punishing children for the actions of their parents. But yesterday, the U.S president made a bold move to prioritize America’s laws. He said: “we must also recognize that we are a nation of opportunity because we are a nation of laws.”
Trump has given Congress six months to try to save the legislation. “It is now time for Congress to act,” he said. The protection for Dreamers will remain in effect until March next year. Although most Republicans stood against DACA during the Obama era, many now defend it. House Speaker Paul Ryan disapproved of Trump’s decision and called it an “abuse of executive authority.”
Overall, Republicans remain divided about this issue.
U.S Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who opposes illegal immigration, applauded Trump’s measure. “We are people of compassion, and we are people of law, but there is nothing compassionate about the failure to enforce immigration law,” Sessions said.
The decision caused outrage in the young Latino community. Today many gathered outside both the Trump Tower and the White House, holding signs and chanting: “Shame!” Dreamers banged drums and clanged their cymbals, screaming: “We are America! Congress! Don’t wimp out!” New York protesters decided to block the Fifth Avenue road. Police arrested the protesters for disrupting the traffic.
Amid the despair, many Dreamers are still hopeful that Congress will save the legislation or enact a new law which will protect them.
Photo Credit: Marianita Peña Cater
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