COLUMBUS, IN – Cummins chairman and CEO Tom Linebarger has denounced the Trump administration’s decision to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) initiative in the United States.

Enacted by president Obama in 2012, DACA gave illegal immigrants that were brought into the U.S. as children protection from deportation while they waited for the passage of the Dream act, which would provide them a permanent path to citizenship. Participants were also given an opportunity to apply for work and study permits.

Linebarger said the decision to rescind DACA is discriminatory, harmful, and sets the U.S. back.

“These young people deserve every opportunity to continue living, working, and thriving in the United States – for nearly all of them the U.S. is the only country they have ever known. This is their home,” he said. “Dreamers are our colleagues, our friends and our neighbors. They strengthen our country through daily contributions to our companies, our universities and our communities. We have a moral obligation to help these young people, protect them from living in fear, and to prevent families from being torn apart.”

Cummins is calling on congress to take immediate action including the immediate passage of the Dream Act before anyone is affected by the decision.

Those currently in the program will not be in immediate danger of being deported, with officials saying they will honor current permits until they expire. Rescinding DACA means that no new applications for the program will be accepted. Those seeking to renew their current work or study permits that expire between now and March 5, 2018 will need to apply for a two-year renewal by Oct. 5.