Pou Statement on State’s Plan to Join Federal Lawsuit Challenging Trump’s DACA Policies

TRENTON –Senator Nellie Pou (D-Paterson-Passaic) today issued the following statement on the state’s plan to join 15 states and the District of Columbia to challenge the Trump Administration over ending the protections of recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program:

“We are proud to join the other states that are standing up to Trump’s misguided and misplaced actions, with not just rhetoric but with action. We must protect the best interest of our state and communities. Dreamers represent what is best about our country. There are nearly 800,000 DACA recipients nationwide with Jersey being a proud home to 22,000. The DACA program has been an unbelievable success with more than 90 percent in school or in the workforce nationwide. I want to thank Governor Phil Murphy for taking action in protecting the thousands of Dreamers who live, work and study in our state.

“These Dreamers all grew up in our great country, registered with our government, and all submitted to extensive background checks. The future of America is bright because of them. They love the United States of America and they are proud to be part of it.”