The Trump administration has announced that it will end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, commonly known as DACA. DACA protects immigrants who came to the United States as children. Since its implementation, DACA has saved almost a million young immigrants from deportation and has allowed them to work legally in the United States.

“This is a heartless move by the Trump administration,” said Libertarian Party National Chair Nicholas Sarwark. “The recipients of DACA did nothing wrong. In fact, their parents loved them so much as to risk everything to bring them out of areas of extreme violence and poverty. They wanted a safer, better life for their children in America. How can we disparage them for that? This president shows mercy to a criminally convicted sheriff, but would toss young immigrants to the wolves for the acts of their parents? You can measure a bully based on whom they choose to pick on.”

The Libertarian Party does not support classifying undocumented immigrants, of any age, as criminals. The current U.S. immigration system is an embarrassment. People who would like to follow the legal procedures are unable to because these procedures are so complex, expensive, and lengthy.

If Americans want immigrants to enter through legal channels, we need to make those channels fair, reasonable, and accessible.

Libertarians believe that if someone is peaceful, they should be welcome to immigrate to the United States.