Nebraska's Latino officials respond to end of DACA

State Seantor Tony Vargas, Metro Community College Board of Governors Chair Roger Garcia and OPS Board members Amanda Ryan and Tracy Casady released a joint statement Tuesday in regards to President Trump's decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy. 

"The actions taken today by President Trump to end the DACA program are both shameful and short sighted. There are more than 3,000 DACA youth that live, study, work, and pay taxes in Nebraska today. We must remember that DACA youth arrived in the United States as children, through no actions or choice of their own. We can’t turn our backs on them," the statement said. "“We must stand by the educational, economic, and community investments we have made in these young people and their families. And we must acknowledge both the talent investment and the economic impact they have on our local economies....We call on Congress to respond to the President's decision to end the educational and career dreams of DACA youth. The House and Senate must step up and immediately pass the Bridge Act to legislatively reinstate DACA."

Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced Tuesday morning that DACA, a program that helps illegal immigrants who entered the United States as minors stay in the country, would be rescinded. 

DACA had been in affect since June of 2012.