Governor Eric Greitens, R, hopes lawmakers in Washington will pass legislation that would protect immigrants from being deported if they came to the U.S. illegally as children. President Donald Trump, R, is giving Congress six months to pass such a measure or Trump says he will revisit the issue.

Gov. Eric Greitens

“It’s really important for us, obviously, to make sure that as we insist on law and order that we also have to act with compassion and we have to recognize there’s a difference between a violent felon who’s in this country illegally and a child who has been brought here through no fault of their own,” says Greitens.

Trump’s reversal of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program affects about 800,000 recipients, including members of the military, professionals and college students seeking work visas. According to the American Civil Liberties Union, Missouri has about 3,500 DACA recipients.

“Anyone who’s willing to take a bullet for our freedom, anyone who’s willing to serve in the United States military, deserves the opportunity at the end of their service to earn their American citizenship,” says Greitens.

Democrats say Trump’s move to end the Obama-era policy is counterproductive because the immigrants are helping the economy and the individuals were brought here without a choice.