WASHINGTON — Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, released the following statement marking the 10th anniversary of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program:
“Today, we mark ten years since the creation of the DACA program under President Obama. It was a monumental accomplishment for the immigrant justice movement in this country, won through persistent and relentless organizing of Dreamers and their families, activists and immigrant communities. Hundreds of thousands have been protected from deportation in the decade since DACA’s creation. It allowed Dreamers to step out of the shadows, go to school and work, and build families and lives in the only country they have ever known.
“As an immigrant, one of only two dozen naturalized citizens serving in Congress, and an organizer who spent more than a decade fighting for immigrant rights, this anniversary carries a special resonance. I am so proud of the movement’s work in making DACA a reality, and their consistent fight in the years since to keep it alive.
“But even as we celebrate this milestone, we know we cannot stop here. Too many DACA recipients live in fear of one day losing their status, being deported from their home, and separated from their families. Congress has failed for years to provide a permanent solution for immigrants — and that was before the Trump administration tried to end the DACA program, dismantled our refugee system, and injected additional fear and chaos into the lives of immigrants.
“On this anniversary, we must commit to creating a different future for our immigrant neighbors. We must deliver Dreamers and all the 11 million undocumented immigrants are in the United States a roadmap to citizenship. As the Progressive Caucus called for in our executive action agenda, we must expand Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) so that safety is guaranteed to every immigrant that calls this country home, not just some. We must end Remain in Mexico, Title 42, and rebuild our asylum system to once again guarantee asylum as a human right.
“Today and every day, progressives are proud to declare unequivocally that Dreamers belong here. Dreamers are home. Dreamers are us. We will not stop fighting to build a just system that welcomes every immigrant with open arms and open hearts.”
