Washington, D.C. – To commemorate the 9-year anniversary of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and honor the strength and resilience of immigrant youth who have fought to protect it, DACA recipients and DACA-eligible young people will gather near the White House today to demand President Biden and Democrats in Congress deliver on a pathway to citizenship for them, their loved ones and millions more who remain vulnerable to the dangerous and deadly deportation force.
This morning, the Senate Judiciary Committee will have a hearing on the American Dream and Promise Act, which passed with bipartisan support in March in the House, and would put over 4 million immigrant youth and TPS holders on a path to citizenship. The hearing is an opportunity for Congress to show how serious they are about delivering citizenship this year.
Greisa Martinez Rosas, Executive Director of United We Dream, said:
“After experiencing first-hand the continued threat of being targeted and deported by ICE and CBP, immigrant youth took action alongside our allies to fight for and win DACA during the Obama administration. Since then, we have fought to protect our communities against Republicans’ cruel and vindictive attacks to put millions of our loved ones on the path to deportation.
As we speak, Republicans are leading a lawsuit in Texas to end DACA while their allies in the Senate continue to hold citizenship bills that the vast majority of Americans support hostage. When given the opportunity to do what is right, Republicans have shown us that instead, they will vote against the Jan.6th commission, emergency relief for millions in a deadly pandemic, they will strip communities of unemployment benefits, suppress voting rights, and attack immigrants. Democrats cannot allow Republicans to keep progress from happening this year. Democrats can and must lead on their own through the reconciliation process.
As we celebrate nine years of our power in winning and protecting DACA, we must remember that DACA is temporary and our communities need and deserve permanency through a pathway to citizenship.”
