Today, U.S. Congressman Scott Peters (CA-52) was invited to the White House as part of a bipartisan group of House members to discuss the DACA program, tax reform, and healthcare with President Trump. During the meeting, Rep. Peters defended DREAMers and the DACA program, and explained the importance of border trade to San Diego and its opposition to a border wall.

The San Diego region that Rep. Peters represents is home to 38,000 individuals who could have been eligible for DACA, the seventh-highest of any county in America. Rep. Peters has strongly criticized President Trump’s decision to rescind DACA, and has been working to bring his colleagues in Congress together to pass the DREAM Act.

Rep. Peters released the following statement:

“I was grateful for the invitation to come to the White House. I haven’t been afraid to criticize President Trump when I disagree with him, and will continue to do so, but San Diegans expect me to work on constructive solutions. It’s important that San Diego has a voice in the room when leaders from both parties and the president are discussing top priorities like protecting DREAMers, fixing our healthcare system, and reforming our tax code to provide relief for working families and make our businesses more competitive.

“I took the opportunity to explain to President Trump that San Diego depends on cross border trade for economic growth, and doesn’t want a border wall. I told him that taxpayer money would be better spent modernizing our border crossings to more efficiently screen people and cargo crossing the border and more effectively stop those trying to smuggle drugs and weapons. This approach to border security would create greater opportunities for bipartisan cooperation.

“We also discussed the importance of passing the DREAM Act to protect immigrants who came here as young children and could now be subject to deportation after President Trump’s elimination of the DACA program. DREAMers are our friends and neighbors, and we need to come up with a solution that keeps them here contributing to our communities and our economy.

“This was an important bipartisan conversation and it was a first step; we won't know if it was a success until we see how the conversation translates to policy. I’ll continue fighting to get the DREAM Act passed, and I hope that President Trump remains sincere in his promise to work with both parties in Congress toward solutions.”