Marzullo: Repeal of DACA Would Be Devastating to Children in Every State

Letter to the Editor submitted by Drew Marzullo, Greenwich Selectman who is also exploring a run for Connecticut Lt. Governor

To the Editor:

As children, we rely on our parents to make decisions for us that are presumably in our best interests. Whether that consists of limiting television or sugary cereals, or moving to a better school district, parents will make thousands of decisions for their children in their lifetime, with the goal of giving them the best footing in the world. Any parent can relate to this.

Now imagine that you are a child whose parent has done what they felt was best for them: bringing them to the United States to start a better life.

Some of these children were brought here as infants, some given over to relatives across the border, and even some who have no knowledge that they are living in the United States illegally. For these children, the choice to become an illegal immigrant in America was not theirs to make. Instead, they attended school, made friends, and grew up believing they had the same opportunities available to them as their classmates.

Whatever your beliefs regarding illegal immigration, there has to be a distinction drawn when it comes to children who arrived in America through no fault of their own. When President Trump makes his announcement this Tuesday on the future of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy, he will be forever altering the lives of almost 800,000 innocent children and teenagers whose only crime was being born to parents who dreamed of giving them a better, safer and more prosperous life. Instead of a knee-jerk reaction to deport thousands of minors who have made this wonderful country their own, I hope that the President considers the impact that DACA has had on almost a million families in this country, and the dire consequences of expelling children from, in some cases, the only home they have ever known.

DACA was meant to give peace and hope to families around the country. I urge you to learn more about this important program and why it’s potential repeal on Tuesday would be devastating to children in every state of our nation.

Drew Marzullo
Greenwich Selectman who is also exploring a run for Conn. LT. Gov.