Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) is the latest GOP official to speak out against the Trump administration’s reportedly looming decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program—which grants work permits and temporary legal status to nearly 1 million immigrants who were brought to the United States as children.
In a statement released Friday evening, Scott wrote that he does “not favor punishing children for the actions of their parents” and believes Congress must act immediately to protect the people known as DREAMers who would be in danger of deportation if DACA is terminated.
“These kids must be allowed to pursue the American Dream,” he wrote.
Governor Scott statement on DACA: pic.twitter.com/2IB4ga0O6w
— Rick Scott (@FLGovScott) September 1, 2017
Scott’s message to Trump comes as a growing chorus of Republican officials are urging Trump to preserve the DACA program—including House Speaker Paul Ryan, several GOP lawmakers, and one of the state attorneys general who had originally sued the Obama administration over DACA.
On Friday, Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) announced he and other Republicans in Congress will introduce a “conservative DREAM Act” that would create a path to permanent residency for immigrants who came to the U.S. when they were younger than 16 years old.
President Obama implemented the DACA program by executive order in the first place because Congress was unable to pass a DREAM Act in 2010.
The White House said a final decision on the fate of DACA will come on Tuesday, the same day Congress returns to Washington after a month-long recess.