A man participates in a protest in support of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program recipients, at the San Jacinto Plaza in El Paso, Texas, U.S., Sept. 5, 2017. (Xinhua/REUTERS)
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- California's state Attorney General Xavier Becerra said Tuesday he prepares to sue the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump over its decision to end a program that gives undocumented immigrants who arrived in the United States as children a chance to stay and work.
"President Trump has turned his back on hundreds of thousands of children and young Americans who came forward and put their trust in our government," Becerra said in response to the announcement by Attorney General Jeff Sessions earlier in the day that the federal government will rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or the DACA program.
"This administration has chosen to ignore what American voters have said they think is right. Nearly 80 percent of voters want to protect the legal status of Dreamers," he said in a statement, referring to DACA participants.
"Ending the program is devastating not just for recipients, but for our economy. California businesses would lose more than a billion dollars in turnover costs," he added.
The term "Dreamer" derives from a legislative proposal known as the DREAM Act, acronym for Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors. First introduced in 2001 and reintroduced several times in following years, the bill failed to pass through the U.S. legislature.
"In terminating DACA, the Trump Administration has also violated the Constitution and federal law," alleged Becerra, who was a supporter of the DREAM Act and an advocate of the DACA program during his tenures as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1993 through early 2017 before being sworn in as the Attorney General of California in January this year.
Under an executive order signed in June 2012 by former President Barack Obama, DACA allows Dreamers to receive a renewable two-year period of deferred action from deportation and eligibility for a work permit by registering with federal authorities.
However, other than stating that "California is taking action because one in four DACA grantees live in our great state" and pledging that "I will do everything I can to fight for them," Becerra did not elaborate on what legal ground he would bring charges against the Trump administration.
The office of California's Governor Jerry Brown issued a statement later in the day, saying that "the Governor stands with Attorney General Becerra as he takes our fight to court to defend the Dreamers."
