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Bipartisan support for DACA, Dreamers grows as Trump poised to end program
With rumors and reports of its imminent demise at the hands of the Trump administration swirling fast and furiously, there’s a mad bipartisan dash in Congress to save the DACA program and protect Dreamers from deportation — led by Colorado lawmakers.
U.S. Rep. Mike Coffman
U.S. Rep. Mike Coffman, a Republican who represents a Front Range district that includes most of Aurora, on Thursday tweeted his support for DACA, or the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program implemented by former President Barack Obama in 2012:
(3/3): #DACA participants grew up here, went to school here, and should be allowed to stay here. The time has come to take action.
— Mike Coffman (@RepMikeCoffman) August 31, 2017
DACA allows more than 750,000 undocumented residents (more than 17,000 in Colorado) who were brought to the United States at a very young age to legally study and work as long as they stay out of trouble with the law.
Coffman wants to immediately force a vote on the BRIDGE Act to temporarily extend the program and block a group of Republican state’s attorney generals threatening to sue if the Trump administration doesn’t rescind DACA by Sept. 5.
(2/3): When I return to D.C., I will file a discharge petition to force a floor vote on the #BRIDGEAct.
— Mike Coffman (@RepMikeCoffman) August 31, 2017
Coffman has Democratic support in the Senate, where Colorado’s Michael Bennet expressed his outrage at a possible end of the DACA program at the hands of President Donald Trump, who promised to “show great heart” in dealing with Dreamers.
Ending DACA isn't just cruel, it also hurts our economy. DREAMers work hard, pay taxes, and are invaluable in our communities. #DefendDACA
— Michael Bennet (@SenatorBennet) August 31, 2017
Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper appeared on MSNBC Friday to morning to say he would be hugely disappointed if Trump decides to end DACA, and he added he knew a lot of Republicans who would be equally distraught.
David O. Williams
