U.S. Rep Albio Sires (D-8) said President Donald Trump’s decision to end the Deferred Action Childhood Arrivals program is ‘inhumane” and “devastating’ to families, later stating he had no issues with Democratic gubernatorial nominee Phil Murphy making New Jersey a sanctuary state.
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“The president’s cruel, reprehensible position to end DACA, with a six-month delay, is inhumane and devastating to families and communities across the country,” Sires said at a press conference at the Jose Marti Freshman Academy in Union City this morning.
“President Trump’s actions target nearly a million hard-working, law abiding people who were brought here as young children who are growing up in the same playgrounds, schools and neighborhoods as our kids.”
The Congressman, who was born in Cuban and came to this country when he was 11, continued that Murphy is committed to protecting the 22,000 DACA students in New Jersey, evidenced by his proposal to create an Office of Immigrant Protection if elected.
Sires further stated that Congress needs to work together on comprehensive immigration reform, noting that it would be beneficial to have a willing partner in New Jersey with Murphy as governor.
When Hudson County View asked if Sires supported Murphy’s idea to make New Jersey a sanctuary state, he said that he was in favor of the idea – which has been given a bad name by Trump’s administration.
“It has become, what Washington puts out, that somehow sanctuary is a bad word .. so when we have shown passion, and we show understanding, and when we show affection for these people, it doesn’t mean that those who are criminals shouldn’t be sent back,” Sires responded.
Immigration has recently become a hot topic in the governor’s race, particularly when Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno, Murphy’s Republican adversary, released a TV commercial that said her Democratic foe “will have the backs of deranged murderers,” claiming Murphy’s policies are too dangerous for New Jersey.
When asked about the commercial, Sires told Hudson County View that he wasn’t surprised since “fear is what sells to their base.”
This wasn’t the first time Hudson County leaders spoke out against Trump’s DACA repeal.
Back in August, U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto (D-32) gathered at New Jersey City University to speak in favor of DACA, claiming a repeal could cause the local economy to take a $1.5 billion hit.
Since then, Trump passed an executive order that would begin phasing out the program in six months, urging Congress to pass a replacement bill before then. (h/t The New York Times.)
This morning in Union City, Sires was joined by State Senator (D-32)/Union City Mayor Brian Stack, Union City Commissioners Maryury Martinetti, Union City Superintendent of Schools Silvia Abbato and West New York Freeholder Caridad Rodriguez (D-7).