NEW YORK (Sputnik) — New York City will fight to defend its residents under Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) after US President Donald Trump terminated the program, Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a statement on Tuesday.
"We warned you not to threaten our neighbors, [President] Trump," De Blasio said. "New York City will fight to defend our Dreamers."
Earlier on Tuesday, US Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the government will stop processing new applications for DACA — previously approved for about 800,000 childhood immigrants — which allows them to work in the United States and defers any deportation proceedings.
After reports emerged that Trump aims to cancel the program, the move was criticized by the US Democrats and even some members of the Republican party. The idea also prompted New York's Governor Andrew Cuomo say that the state will sue Trump if the decision is made.
Meanwhile, US Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said that the Democratic party will do everything in its power to prevent White House from enacting the program's termination.
Trump administration rescinded DACA with a six-month delay, allowing the US Congress to pass legislation that would grant legal resident status to children of undocumented immigrants.
