Washington, D.C. – A year ago today, immigrant young people and our allies rallied outside the Supreme Court as the Court ruled against Trump’s cruel rescission of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) in a 5-4 ruling. Since then, DACA has remained under attack with a court in Texas set to rule any day now on a case brought forth by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on its legality. And earlier this week, immigrant youth took action in DC to commemorate the 9-year anniversary of DACA and demand President Biden and Democrats in Congress go it alone to deliver permanent protections for millions this year.
Adding to the momentum to pass citizenship for millions, over 100 local immigrant rights and progressive organizations in Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, Maryland, New Mexico, Texas, Virginia and Washington, D.C., signed letters to President Biden urging him to include citizenship in his American Jobs package.
Juliana Macedo do Nascimento, Senior Advocacy Manager of United We Dream, said:
“I remember standing in front of the Supreme Court a year ago with members of United We Dream as we chanted, and celebrated what we’ve always known: that DACA is right. Today, on the one-year anniversary of our victory at the Supreme Court, I am reminded of our communities’ undeniable power and commitment to protecting our family, friends and loved ones against continued cruel and relentless attacks on the program. The reality is that a year later, DACA remains at risk.
This week, as we honored our power and resilience on the 9-year anniversary of DACA, we made our demands to President Biden and Democrats in Congress clear: while DACA has always been right, it has never been enough. Our communities deserve permanent protections. Right now, a lawsuit in Texas could end the program just as Trump tried to do in 2017, potentially leaving our communities vulnerable to detention, deportation and family separation. President Biden and Democrats have the power to put an end to the ongoing legal battle over DACA and the uncertainty millions of undocumented families face by adding citizenship for immigrant youth, TPS holders, farm workers and essential workers to the American Jobs package and passing this through reconciliation. Citizenship is relief and our communities need relief now!”
