15 AUG 2022
Immigration Hub Calls on Congress to Permanently Protect Dreamers and Undocumented Families on the 10th Anniversary of DACA Implementation
WASHINGTON, DC - Ten years ago today, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) began accepting applications for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. The Obama administration announced the creation of DACA on June 15, 2012 and USCIS moved swiftly to implement the program. Since its creation, the DACA program has protected more than 830,000 young people from deportation, allowing them to work, study, and contribute fully to American society. Dreamers have not only thrived in their personal lives, but have also proved essential to the economy with more than three-quarters of DACA recipients— 343,000— making up the country’s essential workforce during the pandemic. While Republican elected officials have repeatedly attempted to end the program through court challenges— most recently through a 5th Circuit Court lawsuit — the majority of the American public support a path to citizenship for our nation’s Dreamers.
Democrats have proudly championed the success of the program and passed the Dream and Promise Act twice in the House, but Senate Republicans have blocked various measures from moving forward despite strong public support. Now, with the DACA program facing a serious challenge in the court, the future of DACA and the lives of immigrant youth are at risk. Today’s anniversary underscores the need to deliver legislative action providing Dreamers, their families and undocumented immigrants in the U.S. a path to citizenship.
Daishi Miguel-Tanaka, Legislative Manager of the Immigration Hub, issued the following statement:
“In 2004, my family fell victim to the decades-long green card backlogs and we lost our temporary status. Like the 1.7 million Asian immigrants in the U.S., we became undocumented. We could no longer find stable work, gain driver’s licenses, or get a mortgage. With my status in limbo, I was uncertain if I could go to college and start a career. For many years, I grappled with the idea of not knowing if the country I called home wanted me.
“When I received DACA in high school, I gained the ability to work, provide for my family, establish a credit history, and finally feel more recognized as the American that I have always been. None of this would have been possible without the relentless organizing of immigrant youth who demanded permanent solutions for people like me. DACA was a historic victory that allowed immigrant youth across multiple generations to have temporary reprieve from deportation to reach their dreams, start businesses, generate jobs, and serve as essential workers during a time of need. We have done everything possible to demonstrate to this country that we are every bit a part of this nation’s fabric, and still that has not deterred government officials at all levels from launching various attacks seeking to end the program.
“Now, a decade later, the future of the program hangs in the balance as we await the 5th Circuit Court’s decision. With the program on the chopping block, the need to deliver lasting legislative action is more urgent than ever. It is past time for Congress to deliver for immigrant youth and millions of immigrants facing the threat of deportation and family separation. Congress must listen to the public and pass legislation that will, once and for all, affirm that our home is here.”
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The Immigration Hub is a national organization dedicated to advancing fair and just immigration policies through strategic leadership, innovative communications strategies, legislative advocacy and collaborative partnerships.