TO THE HONORABLE DONALD J. TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED, AND THE SECRETARY OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE:

We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:

WHEREAS, Nearly eighteen thousand bright young people in Washington state are beneficiaries of the federal deferred action for childhood arrivals (DACA) program; and

WHEREAS, The Washington state legislature, on a strong bipartisan basis in 2014, passed the Washington DREAM Act, removing barriers to higher education for these dreamers; and

WHEREAS, These young people have strong roots in Washington state and the United States of America, as they arrive here as children and have grown up knowing this as their only home; and

WHEREAS, To qualify for DACA, these dreamers must have a high school diploma, be in school, or have honorably discharged veteran status, and must not pose a threat to national security or public safety, meaning each one of these eighteen thousand people are contributing to the only community they know; and

WHEREAS, The president's threat to rescind the DACA program is already causing harm and uncertainty to all of the Washington state residents covered by that program; and

WHEREAS, College students are worried they will not be able to graduate, while recent graduates and others starting their careers and families do not know what the future will hold; and

WHEREAS, It would be damaging to families, children, marriages, communities, and the state of Washington as a whole to end this program and deport eighteen thousand good young people who just want a chance to work hard and raise their own kids here as part of the American dream; and

WHEREAS, Most of these dreamers do not even remember the country where they were born or speak that language, compounding the damage done to them when this decision takes effect;

NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully encourage the United States congress to codify DACA and freeze deportations of dreamers during this process, as these specific actions will give those who have grown up in our country some stability while congress carefully considers long-term legislative solutions to overhaul our nation's broken immigration system.

BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable Donald J. Trump, President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Secretary of the United States Department of State, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each member of Congress from the State of Washington.

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