June 15th marks the eight-year anniversary of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Many members of this community may remember the joy they felt that day, knowing that the program would provide much-deserved safety and opportunity for hundreds of thousands of people across the United States.
But cruelly, this morning was not one of reflective celebration for these community members but one of fear and anxiety as we awaited a pending U.S. Supreme Court decision which will decide the fate of the program.
While the Supreme Court did not issue their decision this morning, the threat of a negative decision continues to hang over the heads of DACA recipients and their families.
The DACA program has been a vital lifeline for many undocumented youth for the majority of the past decade. But the pending Supreme Court ruling underscores the importance of securing a permanent solution for protecting these community members. Congress must stand up to this Presidential Administration’s relentless attacks on immigrant rights and pass a clean version of the DREAM Act. They must provide DACA recipients with the protections they deserve. And all of us must continue to stand with DACA recipients and undocumented youth during this critical time. Together, we can hopefully one day celebrate a permanent end to the fear of deportation.
NWIRP stands ready to support DACA recipients to navigate the consequences of the Supreme Court’s ruling, no matter what it is. And, in the meantime, we are continuing to assist them through our DACA renewal clinics. Thank you for helping to make our services to DACA recipients and so many others possible.
Jorge L. Barón
Northwest Immigrant Rights Project
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