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Democrats call on Obama to pardon 750,000 undocumented immigrants
President is being asked to add greater protection for those covered under his 2012 executive order - the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals
Zoe Lofgren, Lucille Roybal-Allard and Luis Gutiérrez signed a letter to him
Letter asks the President to act now before Donald Trump takes the office
The White House dismissed the call, saying it is up to Congress to do so

Published: 00:11 EST, 18 November 2016 | Updated: 08:48 EST, 18 November 2016

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A group of leading Democrats is calling on Barack Obama to pardon about 750,000 young undocumented immigrants before Donald Trump becomes president.

A trio of Congressional Democrats asked the President to further protect those covered under an executive order he signed in 2012 - the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals act - amid growing fears about potential immigration changes Trump could implement.

Zoe Lofgren, Lucille Roybal-Allard and Luis Gutiérrez asked Obama to officially pardon those who are temporarily shielded by the act.

A group of leading Democrats is calling on Barack Obama to pardon about 750,000 young undocumented immigrants before Donald Trump becomes president

'We urge the president to provide security to these young people,' Lofgren said at the press conference.

'I have spoken personally to children who are so frightened about what is to happen to them next.'

'By no fault of their own, these Americans are prisoners in their own country, living their daily lives, not knowing if they will be deported to another country,' Roybal-Allard said at a press conference on Thursday, Bloomberg reports.

The 75-year-old Congresswoman went on to say during her press conference that a letter including the request had officially been sent to Obama.

The letter read in part, 'Dreamers face uncertainty, fear and stress, leading to psychological issues including depression, anxiety and an increased risk of suicide,' according to the Huffington Post.

'Indeed, we have received reports of Dreamers who have taken their own lives as they are now facing the threat posed by the incoming president.

A trio of Congressional Democrats asked the President to further protect those covered under an executive order he signed in 2012 - the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. Pictured are supporters of the President's DREAM act

Luis Gutiérrez (left) and Zoe Lofgren (right) were among those to sign a letter calling on the President to issue the pardon

'Using your pardon authority, which is not subject to reversal, to protect these young people who relied on the program you implemented is quite literally a matter of life and death.'

However, the idea was rejected by a White House official on Thursday, who went on to say it is up to congress to make the suggested changes.

'We note that the clemency power could not give legal status to any undocumented individual,' the official said, according to the LA Times.

'As we have repeatedly said for years, only Congress can create legal status for undocumented individuals.'

'By no fault of their own, these Americans are prisoners in their own country, living their daily lives, not knowing if they will be deported to another country,' Lucille Roybal-Allard said

Republicans Jeff Flake (left) and Lindsey Graham (right) have said Congress will likely be forced to do something about the 750,000 people covered soon

Prominent Republicans have also said congress will need to take action soon, including South Carolina's Lindsey Graham, before the provisions given to some people covered begin to expire.

'There will be people timed out of it, so the issue will be forced upon us before long,' Arizona Senator Jeff Flake said, according to Bloomberg.

Fears about what will happen to immigrants have arisen since Trump won the election, and are based off his pledge to deport as many as three million undocumented people.

The Republican has also promised to do away with the DACA.