A few months ago, President Trump decided to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.  Although the change won’t be enforced immediately, this decision created a very difficult situation for hundreds of thousands of young people. DACA was created to protect the children of immigrants who, despite lacking the appropriate paperwork, came to this country in search of something better. They came here for the same reasons that so many of our parents and grandparents did – because it was a place where they could work hard and keep their children safe.

Dreamers arrived in the United States as children, and this is the only home they know. They grew up here, did homework just like any other kids, worked part-time jobs during high school, studied hard in college, and many of them have become part of the workforce that keeps our economy thriving. Dreamers not only live and work in America, but have made it vibrant and prosperous.

Before the decision was made to end DACA, we signed onto a letter urging President Trump to keep it. We joined a group of companies that have many immigrants to thank for our success, and we refuse to turn our backs on them.

Without DACA, more than  800,000 young people that have helped our country thrive  are faced with the possibility of deportation, often with nothing to return to. This is not the America we love.  The America we love is welcoming and inclusive. The America we love is great because of the incredibly diversity of people inside of it.

We are not done fighting for Dreamers. We have joined the Coalition for the American Dream put together by FWD.us to advocate for Dreamers and protect them from the injustice they are  facing. Our fellow coalition members have been tirelessly meeting with legislators to urge them to consider the importance of a clean Dream Act, and implement a solution now. For Dreamers, the consequences of being in limbo are dire. In the time it takes to re-establish a program like DACA, Dreamers’ work permits could expire, leaving them without work, and in danger of deportation.

Dreamers have already waited too long for a permanent solution to the DACA repeal. This is the only home they have ever known, and they should be able to stay here. If you’re looking for ways to get involved, there is no time to waste. Call your representatives now.