Congress Must Deliver Permanent Protections for DACA Recipients Before It’s Too Late

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Wednesday, October 5, 2022 

Media Contact: media@theyoungcenter.org 

Washington D.C.— Today, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of Judge Hanen’s lower court ruling last year that put a partial end to DACA by keeping renewals open but stopping first-time DACA applications from being processed. For now, the DACA program remains in place for existing DACA recipients, and current DACA recipients should continue to apply for renewals. No new DACA applications are being accepted. 

The Fifth Circuit has sent the case back down to Judge Hanen in light of the Biden administration’s new DACA rule set to go into effect at the end of the month.

Erika Andiola, Communications Director at the Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights and DACA recipient, said: 

“Year after year, DACA has been under attack in the courts. For hundreds of thousands of DACA recipients like me, moments like these that are spent waiting for breaking news about our lives and futures never get any easier. For now, DACA remains in place for existing recipients. Still, hundreds of thousands of people are left anxiously awaiting yet another decision now from the same lower court that stopped first-time DACA applications from being accepted, that could end the program and leave us vulnerable to potential deportation. 

Make no mistake, DACA has never been enough to protect immigrant communities long-term. But ending the program without ensuring permanent protections would be yet another cruel attack against immigrants that could have devastating consequences for DACA recipients and eligible youth. There has been recent news that President Biden is considering taking executive action that would direct immigration agents to not prioritize us for deportation if the courts were to rule to end DACA. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has long been a rogue agency. Simply directing them to not deport DACA recipients will not guarantee our safety, nor will it protect our access to work permits if the program ends and their permits expire. Any action to protect DACA recipients like me without ensuring we could continue to work in the U.S. and remain with our family is setting us up for failure. The Biden Administration and Congress must deliver permanent protections for immigrant communities before it's too late.” 

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The Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights is a non-profit organization that protects and advances the rights and best interests of immigrant children and advocates for an immigration system that treats children as children first. For press inquiries, please contact Anabel Mendoza at media@theyoungcenter.org