Healthcare workers with 1199SEIU Blast President Trump’s Shortsighted Decision that Puts Almost 8,000 Massachusetts Dreamers at Risk of Deportation

Boston, MA (September 5, 2017) – In response to the Trump Administration’s decision to end Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), Tyrék D. Lee, Sr., Executive Vice President of 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, issued the following statement:

“Sadly, today marks another deeply challenging moment for Massachusetts and this nation, as the Trump Administration continues its assault on immigrant communities.

The decision to end Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) is as heartless as it is shortsighted and cruel. DACA has proven to be a wildly successful program over the past five years – offering new hope and opportunity to undocumented immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children, and providing major economic and social benefits to our communities. The decision to end DACA shows an alarming and callous disregard for these 800,000 Dreamers – including more than 7,900 in Massachusetts – whose lives have been upended and who are now at risk of deportation.

During the past eight months, President Trump has displayed a woeful ignorance of the many economic and social contributions of immigrants, and the role immigrants play in making our nation great. The 56,000 healthcare workers of 1199SEIU in Massachusetts condemn his hateful decision and we continue the fight against injustice and inequality. We continue to stand with Dreamers and all of our immigrant brothers and sisters who call Massachusetts home.”

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Representing more than 56,000 healthcare workers throughout Massachusetts and over 450,000 workers across the East Coast,1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East is the largest and fastest-growing healthcare union in America. Our mission is to achieve affordable, high quality healthcare for all. 1199SEIU is part of the 2.1 million member Service Employees International Union.