Wisconsin supporters of the Obama-era program that protects immigrants brought into the country illegally as children from deportation are awaiting the final word from President Donald Trump about whether he plans to end it.
Denis Montero was brought to Milwaukee from Mexico when he was 12. He says news reports that Trump may halt the Deferred Action For Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program in six months are troubling.
Trump is reportedly urging Congress to pass a revised version of DACA in the meantime, but Montero, who is currently enrolled in the program, said he doesn’t know if that will happen.
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“Sometimes Congress is going to get gridlocked, and sometimes (Trump) needs to stand by what’s right. The six months thing is just procrastination at the highest level to be honest,” Montero said, adding that DACA has helped him qualify for a job and get into the Milwaukee Area Technical College.
Christine Neumann-Ortiz, of the pro-immigrant group Voces de la Frontera, says Trump shouldn’t be going after young immigrants who are law-abiding and employed, or in school, as required by DACA.
“The fact that he’s targeting youth who are excelling in their educational goals, working five times as hard to get ahead, giving back the community, really exposes the lie that this is some kind of good policy for us,” said Neumann-Ortiz.
Attorney generals from 10 states are threatening to sue the federal government this week unless Trump drops the program. They argue the action President Barack Obama took to create DACA was unconstitutional.
Neumann-Ortiz said her group will pressure Wisconsin Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan to make DACA permanent. Voces de la Frontera plans a march outside Ryan’s office Tuesday evening in Racine.
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