We are the first line of defense against Trump. We are the boots on the ground. On my watch, King County is defending and supporting immigrant families in the face of Trump’s newly-announced persecution, and I will certainly not allow him to threaten innocent young people who were brought to America as children.

Our community is home to more than 12,000 eligible DREAMers — children and young people who are going to school, who are working, and who just want an opportunity to live the American dream and give back to the only country they have ever known.

Trump will sacrifice these children and their families for political gain. He made that clear when he ended the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program this morning.

As King County Executive, I will defend these children and their families. Just last week, I worked with local community leaders to confirm $2.25 million in emergency funding for immigrants and refugees for much-needed legal protections against deportation and discrimination.

Now is the time for courage and leadership, not fear and intimidation — Congress must make DACA permanent. Sign the petition to demand Congress protect DACA and the DREAMers today.

DACA has protected King County nurses who take care of the sick, devoted educators who teach our school children, and parents who are working to build a better future for their kids. It has protected small business owners, and skilled workers in our region’s largest companies. Immigrants are our neighbors, and they are integral to our communities and economy.

According to some estimates, ending DACA will cost our state’s economy $1.1 billion annually.

It’s unacceptable that Trump is willing to break up families and put our economy at risk simply because he wants to appease his extreme, right-wing allies.

Here, in King County, we put people before politics. I will fight to defend any resident who faces unjust discrimination or deportation because of Trump, and continue to make our county one that values all people, regardless of immigration status. Whether you are a fourth generation Washingtonian, a refugee from a war-torn land, a student seeking a chance to go to college, or an entrepreneur launching your dream, you should be treated with dignity and respect. You belong here.

We absolutely cannot be silent in the face of cruelty. Join me and demand that Congress make DACA permanent.

Thank you,

Dow