CEOs Come Out in Droves to Fight for 'Dreamers' Program

The almost 800,000 young "Dreamers" protected from deportation by President Obama's 2012 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy could be in for some very bad news as soon as Friday. With a Sept. 5 deadline set by anti-DACA Republican lawmakers looming, Trump is expected to announce a decision on the policy soon—and sources tell Reuters and Fox that he's planning to end it. The program grants young people brought to the US illegally as children renewable two-year work permits. Sources say Trump plans to let the "Dreamers" stay until their permits expire, giving some of them as long as two more years in the US. More:

• CEOs opposed. More than 350 CEOs and other business leaders have signed an open letter to Trump urging him to keep the policy, Bloomberg reports. "Dreamers are vital to the future of our companies and our economy," said the letter, warning that the economy would lose $460 billion if all 780,000 Dreamers were forced to leave the country.

• "No decision." White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said Thursday that Trump still hasn't made a final decision on DACA, the Guardian reports. Asked whether Trump, who slammed the program on the campaign trail as an "amnesty," stood by his promise to treat Dreamers "with heart," she said "Absolutely."
• Forcing a vote. While GOP state lawmakers from 10 states say they'll challenge DACA in court if it's still intact on Tuesday, some House Republicans are fighting to save it. Rep. Mike Coffman says he plans to force a vote on extending protections for Dreamers, Politico reports. His bill already has 12 Republican co-sponsors in the House, and Democrats are expected to support it.
• White House split. The administration is split between hard-liners like Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who believes DACA is unconstitutional, and moderates like Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump, who want to keep the program, insiders tell the AP. "The White House is deeply split," says Newt Gingrich, who believes it would be "utterly irrational" for Trump to pick a fight over the issue at this point.
• "I stand with the Dreamers." Mark Zuckerberg has joined many other tech leaders speaking out in favor of DACA. "Dreamers have a special love for this country because they can't take living here for granted," he wrote in a Facebook post late Thursday. "They understand all the opportunities they have and want nothing more than the chance to serve their country and their community. And Dreamers deserve that chance."

(More Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals stories.)