Editor,

Following Tuesday’s announcement that the Trump Administration will reverse the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, policy, leaving the fate of 800,000 and 17,000 in Washington, immigrants in jeopardy, League of Women Voters of Washington president Ann Murphy issued the following statement:

“This decision to rescind the ‘Dreamers’ program is shameful and does not serve national or Washington state’s interests. Thousands of the Dreamers protected by DACA were brought to this country as babies and have no memories of their birth country. These individuals are paying taxes, contributing to Social Security and are Americans, in everything but the name.

“The League of Women Voters is opposed to deportation of non-criminal undocumented immigrants and we urge congress to pass a clean Dreamers Act to protect, not turn away, the 800,000 young people who were brought to the United States as children.

“The League of Women Voters of Washington supports the efforts of Washington State Gov. Jay Inslee and Attorney General Bob Ferguson in their efforts to defend the ‘dreamers’.”

Ann Murphy, president

League of Women Voters Washington