An Urgent Action Alert on DACA
A federal judge in Texas ruled earlier this month on DACA, a program that has shielded hundreds of thousands of undocumented young adults from deportation. His decision has thrown into question, yet again, the fate of immigrants known as Dreamers. United Methodists from the General Board of Church and Society and the Baltimore-Washington Conference issued this response as they call upon individuals and churches to take action.
A federal district judge in Texas recently released his decision in Texas v. United States ruling against the DACA program (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals), a temporary status program that has protected more than 800,000 immigrant young people from deportation since 2012.
U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen’s ruling says the DACA program is unlawful and immediately blocks the Biden administration from accepting new DACA applicants. Without protections from DACA, thousands of immigrant youth will now be at risk of deportation. The ruling allows for current DACA holders to keep their status. It also will still allow for DACA renewals during this time when the case goes through the appeals process. Recently, however, we are seeing how the DACA renewals backlog is forcing immigrant youth out of status.
Yesterday’s ruling is evidence that temporary protections will always leave immigrant communities vulnerable to decision-makers who support the injustice of an exploitative, oppressive, and racially bias broken immigration system.
As United Methodists and people of faith, we know the value and sacred worth of immigrant youth and their families. That is why we will continue to join BIPOC immigrant-led leaders in the movement for immigrant justice and citizenship for all 11 million undocumented immigrants.
Right now, it is urgent that the Biden Administration and the United States Congress commit to delivering a pathway to citizenship through reconciliation. Immigrant young people and their families, TPS holders, farmworkers, and essential workers need a permanent solution now!
ASKS:
Issue congregational and conference statements and social media posts calling on Congress to deliver citizenship through reconciliation.
MESSAGE:
DACA is the floor, not the ceiling. All immigrants need permanent protections. The Biden-Harris administration has a mandate from voters to take action by pushing Congress to deliver citizenship for millions of undocumented immigrants—including immigrant youth, TPS holders, farmworkers, and essential workers- by any means necessary.
As United Methodists and people of faith, we have a moral obligation to assure our immigrant family and community can live and thrive in a country that can truly be home for all of us. When Congress includes citizenship in reconciliation, we will move one step closer to having a welcoming, fair, humane, and functional immigration system. Tag and tweet at your members of Congress and tell them to include citizenship in reconciliation!
SAMPLE SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS:
- Dreamers and their families are here to stay. The limbo they are constantly and cruelly thrown into demonstrates why we need citizenship for all NOW. As people of faith, we won’t stop fighting until all of our undocumented family and neighbors have the rights and protections they deserve #Faith4DACA#WeAreHome #Citizenship4All #umcjustice
- Citizenship is relief and President Biden can only build back better by including undocumented immigrants in his American Jobs and Families package #umcjustice #Faith4DACA #WeAreHome #Citizenship4All
- Judge Hanen’s cruel decision to partially end DACA is a deliberate effort to put hundreds of thousands of immigrant youth at risk of deportation. Congress can and must deliver citizenship for all 11 million through budget reconciliation #umcjustice #Faith4DACA #WeAreHome #Citizenship4All
- Temporary solutions will always keep our immigrant family and neighbors vulnerable in our communities. The only thing that can protect all immigrant youth, TPS holders, farm workers and other essential workers, is a path to citizenship through reconciliation #umcjustice #Faith4DACA #WeAreHome #Citizenship4All
Additional resources from United We Dream:
A judge in Texas has just ordered the DACA program to be partially ended. This ruling comes after our victory from the New York Federal court last year reinstating DACA in full. Now, the Texas ruling goes into effect.
Yesterday’s ruling is evidence that temporary protections will always leave our communities vulnerable and at risk of deportation. This must end! We need bold, permanent solutions for ALL immigrants.
Here’s how YOU can take action with us …
- Sign United We Dream's petition!
- Donate!
- Share the Top 5 Things to Know: [ENGLISH] [SPANISH]
Undocumented lives are not up for debate. Everyone deserves to live freely and with peace of mind. Help us make our voices heard and win permanent solutions. JOIN US — take action below!
#Undeniable