President Trump said Tuesday he has “great love” for young illegal immigrants known as Dreamers, despite his move to end a program that granted them amnesty from deportation.
“I have a great heart for the folks we are talking about, a great love for them,” Mr. Trump told reporters in brief remarks at the White House. “Long term, it’s going to be the right solution.”
The president decided Tuesday to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program that was started under former President Barack Obama. About 800,000 young illegal immigrants who came to the U.S. as children have been shielded from deportation.
“People think in terms of children, but they’re really young adults,” Mr. Trump said. “I have a love for these people. Hopefully now Congress will be able to help them and do it properly.”
He said lawmakers he’s spoken with “want to be able to do something, and do it right.”
“Really we have no choice. We have to be able to do something,” he said.
• Dave Boyer can be reached at dboyer@washingtontimes.com.
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