These states consider legal action to challenge DACA repeal

US President Donald Trump administration’s decision to ditch protections for individuals in the United States without legal status has drawn rebuke from several states. Officials from at least three states have already declared considering legal action against the Trump administration following the Tuesday announcement to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

California Attorney General Xavier Becerra said he is prepared to sue the Trump administration over the latest decision. The former Democratic member of Congress noted that about a quarter of DACA recipients or 220,000 people reside in California.

Becerra argued that scrapping the program was devastating for the economy as well, not only for its recipients. He said in a statement that California businesses would lose more than a billion dollars in turnover costs, CBS News reports.

Becerra assured that California is taking action because one in four DACA grantees live in the state. He promised to do everything he can to fight for them.

Washington state's Democratic governor Jay Inslee said the state will look into every possible option to challenge the repeal of the program. He noted that about 17,000 "dreamers" reside in Washington. “Washington state will consider every option possible to challenge the repeal of DACA, including legal action, coordination with other states and any executive action that could help protect Dreamers,” Inslee said.

New York governor Andrew Cuomo tweeted that if Trump rescinds DACA, they will sue. He assured they will not stand by as 42,000 New Yorkers are deported. The officials who said they are considering suing the federal government are yet to reveal what the legal basis would be.

Phil Scott, Vermont's GOP governor, said Tuesday it was "unfortunate" that the Trump administration has decided to end DACA. Even business leaders are speaking out against the move. "There is nothing that we will be pushing on more strongly for Congress to act on," president of Microsoft Brad Smith said in an interview with NPR.

The Department of Homeland Security and Department of Justice announced the decision Tuesday. DACA is a program that had protected almost 800,000 young undocumented immigrants brought to the US as children from deportation.

The Trump administration also announced a plan to continue renewing permits for anyone whose status expires in the next six months. It gives Congress a chance to act before any protected individual lose his ability to work, study and live in America.

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