Today, the Supreme Court blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to end Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). While the decision was made on procedural grounds and not on the merits of the program, it nevertheless provides a reprieve for 650,000 immigrants and their families, including more than 250,000 U.S.-citizen children.
For now, DACAmented immigrants can continue to live and work in this country without fear of deportation. The ripple effect will be felt throughout our communities, where DACA recipients are integral members, as friends and neighbors, students and teachers, as well as colleagues and essential workers in multiple industries. This victory would not have been possible without the courage of DACAmented leaders and the commitment of countless organizers, advocates, and allies. We uplift and honor their leadership.
Attempts to rescind DACA, along with the barrage of other anti-immigrant policy attacks, are part of an expansive agenda rooted in racist, xenophobic, and exclusionary ideology. This week’s Supreme Court decisions on DACA, California’s sanctuary law, and LGBTQI rights should be celebrated, but we must continue working towards full inclusion of these and all marginalized communities.
Indeed, DACA has always been a temporary measure. Without a permanent solution, DACA recipients—and the 11 million undocumented immigrants who call the United States home—will remain at risk under this administration and beyond. DACAmented and undocumented immigrants must be part of broader philanthropic efforts to dismantle structural racism. Only when we work together to advance our shared humanity can we create a society in which everyone thrives and belongs, no matter who they are or where they were born.
CC License: Molly Adams, Los Angeles March for Immigrant Rights