“Our hearts go out to the 40,000 immigrants in Illinois who have had their well-being upended since the election of Donald Trump. We are outraged that Trump has decided to go after students and young adults. These are our neighbors, our friends, the future of our state, not nameless faces to be talked about in the abstract.
“Since the Trump campaign began with calling Mexicans rapists and murderers, as well as slandering Muslims and attacking Civil Rights for all racial minorities, the ugliness of bigotry and racial division has grown.
“Here in Illinois we have a governor in Bruce Rauner who occasionally whispers disagreement with Trump’s divisive rhetoric and policies, but only when forced to do so by public outcry.
“When it comes to DACA, Illinois requires a clear-throated response: The program must continue. Its suspension must be fought in the courts AND in the court of public opinion. And we must defend the future of these 40,000.
“Bruce Rauner has consistently been late to raise his voice against the racist, anti-immigrant rhetoric of Trump, who seems hell-bent on overturning every common sense and humane policy implemented by President Obama – including DACA. In this void of leadership by Gov. Rauner, it’s up to the rest of us to rally to the defense of our DREAMers.”

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