Fifteen states, including Washington, and the District of Columbia have filed a lawsuit challenging President Donald Trump's plan to end Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). The program that allowed children brought to the U.S. illegally by their parents to remain and work or go to school.
There are about 17,000 DACA recipients, often called "Dreamers," in Washington state.
"The President's cruel decision not only impacts all these dreamers in Washington state, but it'll impact our economy, our businesses and our state as a whole," said Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson, as he announced the suit Wednesday.
Ferguson, who earlier this year sued Trump over a travel ban affecting seven majority-Muslim nations, said Tuesday's decision to end DACA is unconstitutional.
"The President has made numerous statements on the campaign trail and in office disparaging Mexicans," said Ferguson, pointing out that 80 percent of the people who've benefited from DACA are from Mexico. He claims they're being targeted based on where they were born.
"Ask yourself one question. If the overwhelming majority of Dreamers were caucasian, does anybody really think this President would've taken the action he took yesterday?"
Ferguson called the president's decision "arbitrary and capricious," and said it violates due process because Dreamers were told that their immigration status, provided when they joined the program, would not be used against them.
The Trump Administration says DACA will end in six months unless Congress finds a legislative solution for the immigrants. However, Trump said in a tweet on Tuesday that he would revisit it if Congress can't come up with a plan.
