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Democratic attorneys general urge Trump to keep DACA

Democratic attorneys general urge Trump to keep DACA
Posted at 8:38 AM, Jul 21, 2017
and last updated 2017-07-21 11:39:13-04

New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas has joined 19 other attorneys general to urge President Donald Trump to keep a program that gives temporary status to young immigrants who are in the country illegally.

The attorneys general sent a letter to Trump on Friday and it comes after 10 other attorneys general urged the president to end the program.

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The new letter says the 800,000 immigrant students covered under the program have been a "boon" to universities and employers.

Earlier this month, Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly told Hispanic lawmakers that the program that protects young immigrants from deportation is likely illegal, though he is personally supportive.

The Obama-era Deferred Actions for Childhood Arrival Program, or DACA, gives hundreds of thousands of young people brought into the country as children protection from deportation and a work permit.