"To offer the American dream to people and then to take it away, and punish people for trusting their government," the Facebook co-founder and CEO said. "Its just one of the most troubling things I think I have seen in a long time in our country."
Trump ordered the end to DACA on Tuesday, putting more than 800,000 at risk for deportation unless Congress can pass a legislative solution to replace the program. Zuckerberg and several other prominent Silicon Valley leaders condemned the president's decision, vowing to support the young folks who are part of DACA (a.k.a. "Dreamers").
Zuckerberg was joined by Dreamers Leezia Dhalla, Maria Praeli, and Tomas Evangelista for the Facebook video discussion. All three described how they came to the U.S. and why they believe it's important to set up a DACA replacement. There is no legal way for someone who is undocumented in the U.S. to apply for citizenship, Zuckerberg told viewers.
What's more, people under DACA are already paying hefty fees to be a part of the program; in addition to lawyer fees (required to prepare the applications), it costs $495 to re-apply. "I'll pay what I need to pay and I'll wait," Dhalla said during the chat. "But there needs to be a process for us."
Zuckerberg's chat with the Dreamers signifies how Trump's latest immigration policy will impact hundreds of thousands of people who call America home. It also shows how politically active the billionaire entrepreneur has become in recent months.
Although the Zuckerberg's U.S. tour and efforts to condemn Trump's policy decisions have sparked rumors he's considering a presidential run, he has denied any upcoming political races.
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