Gillibrand, Espaillat Say They'll Force Government Shutdown To Save DACA
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Two New York lawmakers have threatened to force a shutdown in Congress over the DACA program that shields many young undocumented immigrants from deportation.
As WCBS 880's Ethan Harp reported Sunday night, President Donald Trump is ending the current program and is giving Congress until March to find a replacement.
Lisdy Contreras was born in Guatemala, and she came to the U.S. when she was 5. But she is one of the 42,000 people in New York who could be sent back if Congress does not keep DACA alive in some form.
"I would never be ashamed to say I am undocumented and I'm currently a DACA recipient, because it has made me who I am," Contreras said.
She is also a former intern for U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-New York), who warns time is running out to save DACA.
"This is matter of basic human dignity and a basic human right," Gillibrand said.
Gillibrand and her fellow Democrat, U.S. Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-New York), are now willing to risk a government shutdown. They are vowing to vote against any long-term spending bill that does not protect the 800,000 immigrants in this country called DREAMers from their supporters.
"It has been these DREAMers that are here, and the work that they have done throughout the years, that have changed the public sentiment," Espaillat said.