05 OCT 2022
Immigration Hub Calls on Congress to Permanently Protect Dreamers
Gonzales: “The good news is that those currently with DACA will continue to live and work under the protections of the program. The bad news is that DACA is hanging by a thread.”
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, in Texas v. United States, the Fifth Circuit Court ruled that the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program is unlawful. DACA currently protects 610,000 young immigrants who are American in all but paperwork.
The program will temporarily continue while the case is considered again by Judge Hanen of Texas— who has repeatedly ruled against DACA and similar programs. The Fifth Circuit remanded the case back to Judge Hanen to determine if the new DACA regulation that was recently issued by the Biden administration is unlawful. Judge Hanen could decide imminently to terminate the DACA program.
The legal machinations should not obscure the reality: without legislation by the end of the year, sometime next year DACA recipients are likely to lose their temporary status and work permits, subjecting them to deportation. With the program on the chopping block, Congress must step up now. The majority of voters agree. Fully 65% of battleground voters say that Congress should act to protect Dreamers if a federal court overturns the DACA program.
Sergio Gonzales, Executive Director of the Immigration Hub, issued the following statement:
“The good news is that those currently with DACA will continue to live and work under the protections of the program. The bad news is that DACA is hanging by a thread. The only question is when it will end— with many experts predicting the Supreme Court will declare the program unlawful and end it next year.
“With the direction of the courts clear, options for executive action limited, and a change in the composition of Congress possible, we want to be crystal clear: the only realistic way to protect the 610,000 young people with DACA is for Congress to act by the end of the year.
“DACA has been incredibly successful, and it would not be a reality were it not for the immigrant youth who have relentlessly organized for their right to be fully recognized as a part of our nation’s fabric and future. The program has allowed over 830,000 people the ability to become homeowners, build careers, start businesses and families.
“In a time of need, we cannot forget that immigrant essential workers were on the front lines and helped us survive the pandemic— including 343,000 DACA recipients. Despite its success, DACA has always fallen short of providing the permanent security and justice Dreamers and their families deserve. And it has been under a constant cruel assault that simply ignores the contributions of Dreamers to our nation and economy.
“With MAGA Republicans gunning for DACA through the courts as they did with abortion, it is incumbent on President Biden and Democrats to sound the alarm and use every tool at their disposal to protect hundreds of thousands of Dreamers in communities across our country. Any common sense Republicans left in Congress should return to the pragmatism of past GOP leaders like John McCain and do what is in the best interest of the country.
“In this moment, we need bold leadership and decisive action, no more empty statements, and delay. Today’s ruling magnifies the urgency for Congress to deliver the permanent protections that DACA recipients and their families urgently need, and the majority of Americans want.”
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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.