Senate

Sanders: Ending DACA ‘cruelest’ presidential act in modern history

by Jordain Carney - 09/06/17 8:23 PM ET

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) is ripping the Trump administration for ending a key Obama-era immigration program aimed at protecting undocumented immigrants brought into the country as children.

“Trump’s decision to end the DACA program … is the cruelest and most ugly presidential act in the modern history of this country. I cannot think of one single act that is uglier and more cruel,” Sanders said from the Senate floor.

Sanders added that the decision, announced this week by Attorney General Jeff Sessions, is an “abomination.”

Senate Democrats took over the Senate floor on Wednesday to protest the decision to wind down the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

{mosads}Democrats are demanding a stand-alone vote on the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act. Similar to DACA, it would allow people brought to the United States illegally as children to continue to live and work freely in the country.

Sanders added that Congress should pass the DREAM Act “as soon as possible.”

“Congress must reject Trump’s action and pass DACA into law. … This is exactly what the American people want us to do,” he added.

But Democrats will need GOP support to get the bill through Congress. And Republicans are already signaling that the immigration proposal will need to be tied to a broader border security or immigration enforcement measure.

Trump’s decision to end the program sparked the ire of Democrats, as well as some Republicans.

Sanders, during his floor speech on Wednesday, suggested the decision was the latest example of Trump “trying to divide us up.”

“He’s trying to divide us up in order to gain political support,” he added. “He’s trying to divide us up based on the color of our skin. … He’s trying to divide us up based on religion.”

Tags Bernie Sanders Jeff Sessions