Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif.

Washington — Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) Tuesday released the following statement on the termination of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA, established in 2012:

“Congressional action is now the only way to guarantee that DACA recipients are shielded from deportation, and it must be our top priority. The DREAM Act — introduced by Senators Graham and Durbin to provide a path to citizenship for DACA recipients — deserves a vote as soon as possible.

“Failure to protect young people who have come out of the shadows would constitute an abject moral failure. DACA recipients registered with the government, had background checks and paid taxes. They provided extensive documentation about their lives and put their trust in the government. We can’t respond by penalizing them.

“DACA youth are the epitome of the American dream — 95 percent are in school or working. Many came to our country as very young children, through no fault of their own. They’ve pursued their dreams, becoming doctors, engineers and teachers. They’re American in every way that matters, and we should welcome their contributions to our society.

“California is home to more DACA recipients than any other state, nearly 223,000. They’ve made incredible contributions, including to our vibrant tech industry, which spurred a letter of support from tech companies like Apple, Facebook, Google and Netflix.

“To DACA youth across the country, I say this is not over. I stand with you and your families. You are valued. Our country needs you. And I won’t stop fighting to protect you.”