Senator Ernst Statement on DACA

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) today issued a response following the announcement from the Trump administration regarding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program:

"America has been and always will be a nation of immigrants, but we are also a nation of laws. However, many young undocumented children were brought here by parents, caretakers, and so forth through no fault of their own. As I have stated many times before, we must show compassion toward these children. While I do not support giving them citizenship, we must identify and pursue a measured approach that addresses their unique situation, but also respects the importance of our immigration laws and discourages future illegal immigration.

“It is now incumbent upon Congress to act. We have an opportunity to solve this issue, work to secure the border, and modernize the legal immigration system.”