Fox's Geraldo Rivera took aim at President Trump on Friday, declaring that if the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program is revoked, “then the all of the false statements up until now, false statements about the cruelty of Donald Trump will be true.”
The commentary comes as Fox News reported on Thursday that the president plans to end DACA “as it exists today.”
An announcement on the decision could come Friday, according to the network.
Under DACA, which began during the Obama administration in 2012, approximately 800,000 people brought to the country illegally as children have been granted work permits and deferral from deportation.
“These are 800,000 youngsters who came here before they were 16 years old through no fault of their own,” said Rivera on "Fox & Friends."
“They have been living here. Every one of them is required to have a job or they are registered in school, graduating high school or in the United States military, they get a temporary work," he said.
“If this program is revoked, then the all of the false statements up until now, false statements about the cruelty of Donald Trump will be true. If he, for no reason that I can see other than appealing to his base."
“What about rule of law?” asked fill-in host Pete Hesgeth.
“If you’re a 2-year-old kid, you were brought here by your parents, you don’t know any country, you don’t know Mexico, you don’t know Peru,” Geraldo replied.
“Powerful emotional argument, but it runs counter to the rule of law, which is always ruled in our country,” Hesgeth said.
“You know something? If the rule of laws calls for cruelty against a 2-year-old, then I say screw the law,” Rivera said. “And I say the president of the United States cannot become the stereotype his enemies want him to be.
“The DREAM Act students, these are people that commit fewer crimes than citizens, they are people who have by requirement must be registered, they must be clean. They can’t collect any welfare payments. They must pay taxes. To throw them out for what? Who benefits from this?” Rivera asked.
Co-host Brian Kilmeade commended Rivera for making a “strong personal argument” but asked if former President Barack Obama did the right thing by founding DACA via executive order instead of working with Congress.