Living United for Change in Arizona Call on President Joe Biden & Congress to Enact Permanent Protections for Undocumented Communities & Their Families!
PHOENIX – Today, United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas Judge Andrew Hanen ruled on the legality of the 2022 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) rule. His decision struck down the DACA program for the second time but held back from ordering the deportation of the nearly 600,000 who remain in the country as Dreamers. For now, the DACA program remains in limbo; current DACA Recipients will remain protected, and renewals can continue.
"The Defendants [the US] may continue to administer the program [DACA] as to those individuals [DACA recipients], and that administration may include processing and granting DACA renewal applications for those individuals." Judge Hanen's Supplemental Order of Injunction.
For LUCHA, this is a clear warning for Congress and the Biden Administration to act swiftly to pass permanent protections for DACA recipients and their families. We have known for years that DACA is merely a band-aid, a temporary solution, and our country is well overdue for an immigration overhaul that provides permanent relief for the hundreds of thousands of Dreamers and the millions of undocumented families. The lives of over 600K DACA recipients are on the line, and while DACA is not enough, ending this program would have a devastating impact on millions of people, including Dreamers, DACA-eligible youth, our families, friends, our communities and our country as a whole.
“Republicans have waged a war of hate in Congress and the Courts to undermine efforts to pass immigration reform and end the DACA program. Today's ruling is another calculated decision by a Republican-appointed judge with a lifetime appointment. This decision kicks the can down the road and offers more uncertainty for hundreds of thousands of program recipients. The livelihoods of over 600,000 DACA recipients are on the line unless we see unified action from the Biden administration and Democrats in Congress. We need protections and reforms codified into law; nothing short of congressional action to provide access to a path to citizenship will alleviate the daily fears many Undocumented youth and their families have about their futures in the United States,” said Alejandra Gomez, Executive Director for Living United for Change in Arizona.
We know this fight will ultimately head to a Supreme Court led by a right-wing majority unless swift action is taken. We will continue fighting for the millions of undocumented immigrants. Ending DACA would mean thousands of DACA recipients would lose protection and be forcibly separated from their communities and loved ones. DACA’s ending would also have negative implications for the U.S. economy and workforce. No doubt, Republican-controlled states would seize this moment to target undocumented immigrants and DACA recipients with scare tactics and threats of deportation. That is why LUCHA and partners will continue to fight for the day that Dreamers and their families will not live in a state of fear and their lives defined by legal unpredictability and limbo.
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About Living United for Change in Arizona (LUCHA):
Living United for Change in Arizona is a grassroots organization dedicated to building power with Arizona's working families. LUCHA fights for racial, economic, and social justice, striving to create a just and equitable society for all. Check us out on social media and our website for more information.
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