(TRENTON) – Legislation Assemblyman John Wisniewski and Assemblywoman Annette Quijano sponsored opposing any attempt by President Trump to target immigrant students who know only America as their home was approved 44-11-7 Wednesday by the Assembly.
The resolution (AR-210) expresses the General Assembly’s opposition to any action by President Donald Trump to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy. Under DACA, a policy implemented under President Obama’s Administration, the federal government agreed to defer deportation of undocumented immigrants brought to the United States as children and allowed these students to qualify for employment authorization.
“Many of these students who live in New Jersey applied for the DACA program so that they could work and be able to afford the pursuit of a college education,” said Wisniewski (D-Middlesex). “These students know only America as their home and are hard-working employees who contribute to the economy and to the rich diversity of our schools. Rescinding DACA would expose these students to the threat of immediate deportation and deprive the state of their many contributions. That’s immoral and un-American, and we must make clear that we oppose any effort by President Trump to punish these young men and women.”
Copies of the resolution will be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly to the President and Vice-President of the United States, the governor, the Majority and Minority Leaders of the United States Senate, the Speaker and Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives and every member of Congress elected from New Jersey.
“New Jersey has long been a welcoming home for immigrants from around the world and appreciates the valuable contributions immigrants make to our state and our nation,” said Quijano (D-Union). “New Jersey’s immigrant population includes undocumented immigrants who have come to the United States in pursuit of the American dream and to build a better life for themselves and their families. Many of these families include children who were brought to New Jersey at a very young age and were raised and educated in the state, but now they face the threat of deportation under President Trump. That’s wrong.”
Added Wisniewski: “Such action by President Trump would punish young men and women who followed the proper course of action so that they could pursue their higher education. These students have spent their formative years in the United States, pay taxes and contribute to our economy as hard-working employees, and add rich diversity to our schools through class participation and campus programs. They deserve protection, and today we have made our voices clear – President Trump’s discriminatory policies will not be tolerated.”
