WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall issued the following statement on the arbitrary March 5 deadline President Trump set for ending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

"DREAMers represent the best of our country. They deserve the chance to live out their dreams and to continue strengthening our communities in the only nation they have ever called home. Because of the heartless and short-sighted actions of President Trump and his allies in Congress, DREAMers in New Mexico and across the country are being forced to live every day in limbo and fear. Reaching this arbitrary deadline with no resolution for DREAMers represents a total failure of leadership by President Trump – the consequence of his chaotic and confused White House, and his xenophobic and hateful approach on immigration.

"President Trump created this mess when he rescinded the DACA program, and then he scuttled bipartisan momentum toward a deal by demanding funding for his toxic immigration policies and attacking immigrant families. We have an urgent duty to act to protect DREAMers, and it's long past time for President Trump to show he's willing to make a compromise – or get out of the way so Congress can get something done.

"DREAMers are not bargaining chips. They are real people with families, jobs, and aspirations, who are American in every way. I will keep fighting to overcome the gamesmanship of President Trump and Republicans in Congress and provide these young Americans with the protection and certainty they deserve."

During the Senate consideration of immigration legislation last month, Udall voted for the bipartisan Coons-McCain legislation that would have provided relief to DREAMers. He voted against proposals to spend $25 billion on an unnecessary and wasteful border wall, and he opposed anti-immigrant proposals that would have dramatically and inhumanely punished the families of DREAMers and restricted future immigration.

Two separate U.S. district court decisions have temporarily halted President Trump's decision to terminate the DACA program on March 5, 2018 while litigation is ongoing, but the uncertainty of future court and Trump administration decisions make it imperative for Congress to act immediately to protect DREAMers.