OFFICIAL STATEMENT
July19, 2021
Last Friday afternoon, Judge Andrew Hanen of Texas decided to lead the charge on the continued Republican attack on immigrant youth particularly and immigrant communities as a whole. Federal district Judge Hanen ruled to block the Biden administration from accepting new DACA applicants – claiming the program is not legal.
While more details have to be provided ---what is understood about the ruling so far is that as of July 16, 2021, DHS will no longer be allowed to grant DACA to new applicants and will only continue to process renewals of current recipients and renewal applications that are still in process. Those that have already applied for their DACA for the first time but have not yet received a decision will not be granted but instead their applications will be frozen and left in limbo as appeals of the Hanen decisions are expected.
As UndocuBlack Network, we believe the July 15th announcement of a pathway to citizenship through reconciliation followed by a hateful decision out of Texas the very next day July 16th---is case in point as to why Congress must do everything it takes to ensure a bill providing permanent protections for immigrant youth, TPS holders, essential workers, and farm workers.
Republicans have consistently and unapologetically shown their stance through their hateful dismantling of any immigrant policy gains and blockage of any progress. It’s past time we believed them.
Congressional Democrats can no longer invest precious time on bi-partisan bargaining on immigration. Our community can not afford them to.
The passing of the Liberian Refugee International Fairness (LRIF) program was the first pathway to citizenship bill to pass Congress in 35 years and it should not be the last.
After four years of continuous and relentless attacks on undocumented communities - even as they continue to play instrumental roles in keeping the country alive and moving during a global pandemic and in the recovery efforts - it’s time for supporters of immigration to unconditionally take their position with us once and for all.
There is no building back of America without the inclusion of immigrants. The political moment to pass a citizenship bill is NOW.
