Officials Call For Congressional Action For Dreamer Legislation

Business, public and religious religious leaders gathered in Bangor Wednesday to discuss a program dealing with young, undocumented immigrants.

The conference highlighted the importance and contributions of Maine's so-called Dreamers.

Time is running out for congress to respond to the trump administration's decision to rescind the deferred action for child arrivals, or DACA, program.

If members of congress do not pass a permanent solution, nearly 100 people in Maine could lose their DACA status in the coming months.

"This came about as the administrations recent decision to resend the DACA program because that will put these Dreamers at risk for deportation unless Congress acts as we hope they will," said Dana Connors, President of the Maine State Chamber of Commerce.

"We really need to attract people that have skills and we need more of them in this state," said Former Bangor City Council Chair. "So, we can't afford to lose a couple hundred professionals in this state who do things like a medical or dental practice or other types of important functions that we really need to have done."

A permanent legislative solution is expected from Congress by early March.