A new national ad campaign is amping up the pressure on Congress in the wake of a conservative court’s ruling against the popular and successful Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.
The ad, launched by immigration reform advocacy group FWD.us, is running on national cable news stations and calls on federal lawmakers to permanently protect the program’s hundreds of thousands of beneficiaries in the upcoming lame duck session. While the Biden administration has said it’s working on a response to last week’s ruling from the right-wing Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, the policy’s outlook in the courts is grim.
“We can't rely on the courts,” DACA recipient Maria Praeli says in the ad. “Congress: This is it. Protect Dreamers, act now.”
RELATED STORY: 15 immigrants and allies arrested in protest urging Congress to act following ruling against DACA
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Praeli, who is also a government relations manager with the advocacy organization, said the court ruling against the decade-old program will throw hundreds of thousands of lives “into chaos” if Congress does not act. House Democrats with votes from small groups of Republicans have twice passed legislation addressing DACA recipients, in 2019 and then again in 2021. But nothing has significantly advanced in the Senate.
“A new group of 1,000 DACA recipients each and every business day for two years could be forced out of their jobs and separated from their families,” Praeli continues in the ad. “It will hurt nearly 700,000 people who have benefitted so far.” The human costs will be no less than catastrophic, with a 2018 survey finding that nearly 90% of program beneficiaries were currently working thanks to their permits.
The conservative appeals court in its ruling upheld an anti-immigrant judge’s 2021 decision finding the policy unlawful. Texas Judge Andrew Hanen last year shut down the program to first-time applicants, but allowed current and former beneficiaries to be able to renew their relief. The appeals court in its decision sent the case back to Hanen to consider a new administration rule intended to fortify the program amid Republican-led legal attacks. But as previously noted, Hanen is a well-known anti-immigrant zealot. DACA is not safe in the courts.
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“The chances of DACA surviving for much longer—without Congress passing legislation—are significantly worse because of this ruling,” FWD.us said in a statement received by Daily Kos. “It would be disastrous to wait until the lower courts once again rule DACA unlawful and allow their rulings to go into effect. It is credibly cruel to put millions of Dreamers and their families through more uncertainty. Only Congress can take action to protect Dreamers, and they must do so immediately.”
Following the appeals court ruling late last week, more than a dozen immigrants and allies were arrested during a demonstration calling on Congress to act on “a bold and robust response to the crisis with DACA,” a release said.
“We cannot keep living from court case to court case and in two-year increments,” said Bruna Sollod, senior communications and political director of immigrant youth-led United We Dream. “We are demanding permanent solutions now because we know what’s possible. It is time for Congress to deliver on their promises.” Immigration Hub Executive Director Sergio Gonzales told ABC News that "Republican leaders are using the same playbook with DACA that was used with abortion, which is to end the protections offered by DACA through an increasingly rightward shifting court. And we now are on the precipice of that actually happening." This is on Congress now.
”Without urgent action from Congress in the upcoming lame duck session, nearly 700,000 DACA recipients will almost certainly lose work authorization, protection from deportation, and have their lives thrown into chaos in the near future,” FWD.us said.
RELATED STORIES:
Conservative court rules against DACA and sends back for review, but policy's future looks grim
Uncertainty, anxiety prolonged as DACA litigation continues. When will Congress finally act?
Biden reportedly preparing action to shield DACA recipients, but that too could fall to Republicans
The ad, launched by immigration reform advocacy group FWD.us, is running on national cable news stations and calls on federal lawmakers to permanently protect the program’s hundreds of thousands of beneficiaries in the upcoming lame duck session. While the Biden administration has said it’s working on a response to last week’s ruling from the right-wing Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, the policy’s outlook in the courts is grim.
“We can't rely on the courts,” DACA recipient Maria Praeli says in the ad. “Congress: This is it. Protect Dreamers, act now.”
RELATED STORY: 15 immigrants and allies arrested in protest urging Congress to act following ruling against DACA
Campaign Action
Praeli, who is also a government relations manager with the advocacy organization, said the court ruling against the decade-old program will throw hundreds of thousands of lives “into chaos” if Congress does not act. House Democrats with votes from small groups of Republicans have twice passed legislation addressing DACA recipients, in 2019 and then again in 2021. But nothing has significantly advanced in the Senate.
“A new group of 1,000 DACA recipients each and every business day for two years could be forced out of their jobs and separated from their families,” Praeli continues in the ad. “It will hurt nearly 700,000 people who have benefitted so far.” The human costs will be no less than catastrophic, with a 2018 survey finding that nearly 90% of program beneficiaries were currently working thanks to their permits.
The conservative appeals court in its ruling upheld an anti-immigrant judge’s 2021 decision finding the policy unlawful. Texas Judge Andrew Hanen last year shut down the program to first-time applicants, but allowed current and former beneficiaries to be able to renew their relief. The appeals court in its decision sent the case back to Hanen to consider a new administration rule intended to fortify the program amid Republican-led legal attacks. But as previously noted, Hanen is a well-known anti-immigrant zealot. DACA is not safe in the courts.
YouTube Video
“The chances of DACA surviving for much longer—without Congress passing legislation—are significantly worse because of this ruling,” FWD.us said in a statement received by Daily Kos. “It would be disastrous to wait until the lower courts once again rule DACA unlawful and allow their rulings to go into effect. It is credibly cruel to put millions of Dreamers and their families through more uncertainty. Only Congress can take action to protect Dreamers, and they must do so immediately.”
Following the appeals court ruling late last week, more than a dozen immigrants and allies were arrested during a demonstration calling on Congress to act on “a bold and robust response to the crisis with DACA,” a release said.
“We cannot keep living from court case to court case and in two-year increments,” said Bruna Sollod, senior communications and political director of immigrant youth-led United We Dream. “We are demanding permanent solutions now because we know what’s possible. It is time for Congress to deliver on their promises.” Immigration Hub Executive Director Sergio Gonzales told ABC News that "Republican leaders are using the same playbook with DACA that was used with abortion, which is to end the protections offered by DACA through an increasingly rightward shifting court. And we now are on the precipice of that actually happening." This is on Congress now.
”Without urgent action from Congress in the upcoming lame duck session, nearly 700,000 DACA recipients will almost certainly lose work authorization, protection from deportation, and have their lives thrown into chaos in the near future,” FWD.us said.
RELATED STORIES:
Conservative court rules against DACA and sends back for review, but policy's future looks grim
Uncertainty, anxiety prolonged as DACA litigation continues. When will Congress finally act?
Biden reportedly preparing action to shield DACA recipients, but that too could fall to Republicans