Jeff Sessions Announces the End of “Dreamer” Program, Gives Congress Six Months to Save it

On Tuesday, the Justice Department, lead by Jeff Sessions, announced that it would end the Obama-era program that allowed undocumented immigrants who came to the United States illegally as children, to remain in the country.

The program was put into place in 2012, but after the official announcement made by Sessions at the request of Donald Trump, nearly 800,000 people who have benefited from the program will be removed from the workforce and put at risk of deportation.

“I am here today to announce that the program known as DACA that was effectuated under the Obama administration is being recinded,” Sessions said, giving Congress a six-month window to pass legislation to potentially save the program.

However, if Congress is unable to save the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, jobs and employers would have to pay $3.4 million in turnover cost to replace those who will lose their work permits, reports state. The economy would take an even bigger hit of $460 billion in lost gross domestic product. In addition, reports reveal that Medicare and Social Security would lose about $24.6 billion in contributions.

Just before Sessions’ announcement, Trump took to Twitter to prepare Congress for what was about to come, tweeting “Congress, get ready to do your job – DACA!”

As for current “Dreamers”, their protections won’t end immediately. Those who have permits will expire by March and can apply to renew until Oct. 5, Huffington Post reports. However, those who do not have protections cannot receive permits unless they applied before the official announcement.