Top US companies to Trump: Leave DACA alone

A coalition of major companies and trade groups that represent more than half of American private sector workers wrote to President Trump on Saturday urging him to leave the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program in place.

More than 140 companies and trade associations signed on to the letter, including Apple, Microsoft, Facebook, Google, Marriott, Target, Uber, Lyft, the National Retail Federation and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The groups are members of the Coalition for the American Dream, which organized the letter.

“As large American employers and employer organizations, we strongly urge you to leave the DACA program in place,” the letter states. “DACA recipients have been critical members of our workforce, industries, and communities for years now, and they have abided by the laws and regulations of our country in order to maintain their DACA status.”

The letter cited public polling that found most Americans favor protecting “Dreamers,” the young immigrants who were brought to the United States illegally as children.

“This is no time to disrupt the economic recovery of our companies and communities, nor time to jeopardize the health and safety of these vulnerable individuals,” the letter states. “We ask that you leave DACA in place and refrain from taking any additional administrative actions that would negatively impact the DACA program.”

The letter comes after the Supreme Court struck down Trump’s first attempt to rescind DACA, ruling last month that the administration failed to give an adequate justification for terminating the program as required by federal law. But the court made clear Trump had the authority to rescind the program, essentially forcing the president to try again or risk the appearance of backing down.

Multiple sources told The Hill that the Trump administration was expected to move forward with its second attempt to rescind DACA as early as this week, though the exact timing remains fluid.

Trump raised eyebrows on Friday when, in an interview with Telemundo, he said he was working on an executive order that would include a path to citizenship for “Dreamers.” The comments drew ire from conservatives, and the White House sought to clarify the president’s message.

“As the President announced today, he is working on an executive order to establish a merit-based immigration system to further protect U.S. workers,” deputy press secretary Judd Deere said in a statement. “Furthermore, the President has long said he is willing to work with Congress on a negotiated legislative solution to DACA, one that could include citizenship, along with strong border security and permanent merit-based reforms. This does not include amnesty.”

The Trump administration in 2017 rescinded DACA, an Obama-era program that shields certain undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children from deportation. The move was a central feature of the president’s initial efforts to restrict immigration upon taking office.