Washington, D.C — Today, after seven months of deliberation, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the decisions of several lower courts blocking the Trump administration from terminating the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) initiative.
The ruling is a huge relief for nearly 650,000 DACA recipients—who are parents to more than 250,000 U.S.-citizen children—as well as to their families, co-workers, friends, and classmates all over the country. More than 200,000 DACA recipients today are critical infrastructure workers on the front lines of the country’s fight against the coronavirus, with an estimated 29,000 serving as health care workers. Not only is DACA good policy and a lawful exercise of discretion, but it is also consistent with the strong belief of a majority of Americans that Dreamers should have a pathway to citizenship.
Neera Tanden, president and CEO of the Center for American Progress, issued the following statement:
By rejecting the Trump administration’s illegal attempt to end DACA, the Supreme Court provided a critical measure of relief to DACA recipients and their families at a time when they—like all Americans—are experiencing significant fear and uncertainty as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Every day for the past several months, 29,000 health care workers and more than 200,000 workers in critical infrastructure roles have relied upon the protections of DACA to continue going to work at great personal risk to support the country that is their home. The challenges have only become greater in recent weeks, as the country has confronted once more the painful reality that Black and brown lives are too easily disregarded by systems of oppression. Enough is enough. The Trump administration must immediately end its attacks on DACA and DACA recipients and reopen the initiative to accept new applications from qualifying immigrant youth. In finding the rescission of DACA to be arbitrary and capricious, the court confirmed what we’ve known for years: that the Trump administration put its policy aims above following the law.
Americans today demand change that produces equitable outcomes and lives up to the best ideals of this nation. It is now up to the Senate to provide a permanent solution for Dreamers and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders and pass the American Dream and Promise Act, or H.R. 6. This is a time for all Americans to come together, because it will take every single one of us to safely and successfully defeat the coronavirus pandemic; to help rebuild the American economy by creating small businesses, revitalizing our communities, and investing in the country’s future; and to finally realize the promise of America. The Senate must not abdicate its responsibility; they must act swiftly and put people first. Putting Dreamers and TPS holders on a path to citizenship.
For more information on this topic or to speak with an expert, please contact Claudia Montecinos at [email protected].