Democratic Reps. Zoe Lofgren and Lucille Roybal-Allard of California, and Luis Gutierrez of Illinois said it is Obama’s “responsibility” to protect participants in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program from potential immigration enforcement measures taken by a Trump administration.
“We want the immigrant community to know that we are not giving up, we are going to fight for them, we are going to stand by them, we are on their side,” Lofgren said at the press conference.
In a letter to Obama, the proponents argued that the president’s power to grant pardons extends to civil immigration violations such as illegal entry, overstaying a visa and illegal presence.
“We urge you to exercise your Constitutional authority to provide pardons to DREAMers both retroactively and prospectively,” read the letter.
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