CAPAC Members Commemorate the 11th Anniversary of DACA
WASHINGTON, D.C.— Today, Members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) commemorated the eleventh anniversary of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. This transformative policy, enacted in 2012 by President Barack Obama and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), provides young immigrants eligibility for work permits and renewable two-year deportation deferrals.
CAPAC Members released the following statements:
CAPAC Chair Rep. Judy Chu (CA-28):
“Since President Obama announced the DACA program eleven years ago, nearly one million young immigrants have been able to build their lives without fear of deportation. Maintaining the DACA program has also strengthened our economy by helping these young Americans continue to work, pursue higher education, and contribute to the only country they have ever called home.
However, this policy was only meant to serve as a temporary solution, and the upcoming decision in Texas v. United States by a federal judge who previously ruled DACA as ’illegal’ reminds us all of the urgent need for Congress to swiftly deliver permanent protections to immigrants experiencing constant fear and uncertainty for their futures. That’s why I’m a co-lead of the American Dream and Promise Act that would provide a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers.
“We also must continue to address unique concerns for the AAPI immigrants who, in addition to facing high application fees and fear of deportation, also face unique language and cultural barriers to accessing and applying for DACA. As we recognize eleven years of DACA and its enormously positive impacts, we must also reaffirm our commitment to providing a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers and the millions of immigrants who deserve the dignity to thrive.”
CAPAC First Vice-Chair Rep. Grace Meng (NY-06):
“The DACA program has provided thousands of Dreamers with the opportunity to study, work, and build lives in America for years. For many of these Dreamers, the United States is the only home they have ever known. Dreamers are helping build our nation’s true strength, its diversity. Although the future of DACA is uncertain, we must continue fighting for permanent protections for our friends, neighbors, and colleagues across our country that want nothing more than to continue growing their life in the U.S. Dreamers contribute to our communities in every way imaginable and help make America exceptional. It’s time to repay them by providing a pathway to citizenship.”
CAPAC Second Vice-Chair Rep. Mark Takano (CA-39):
“For the last eleven years, we have witnessed the transformative impact of DACA on the lives of Dreamers. It has shielded them from deportation and provided opportunities to establish their lives in the United States—the only country they have ever called home. In the face of uncertainty surrounding DACA's future, I have met with Dreamers in my district and reassured them of my ongoing commitment to fight for them in Congress. It is imperative that we safeguard our immigrant communities, advocate for legislation that guarantees pathways to citizenship, and convey to Dreamers that their home is right here.”
CAPAC Whip Rep. Ted W. Lieu (CA-36):
“For over a decade, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program has helped hundreds of thousands of Dreamers work, study, and continue to build lives in the United States. In this time, Dreamers have contributed to our culture, our communities, and our economy. DACA allows undocumented individuals brought to this country as children to live without constant fear of deportation from the country they call home. Despite the critical roles that Dreamers play in American society, this vital program’s future remains uncertain. Immigrants make our country stronger. It’s time for comprehensive immigration reform that includes a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers.”
CAPAC Immigration Task Force Co-Chair Rep. Pramila Jayapal (WA-07):
“Eleven years ago today, we affirmed that Dreamers are here to stay as an integral part of the fabric that makes up the United States. DACA was a transformative policy, one that allowed so many people to stop worrying that they would be forcibly removed from their home country and live their lives in the only home they had ever known. It has changed countless lives for the better. As someone who spent over a decade working on this issue as the founder and former executive director of the largest immigrant rights organization in Washington state, I know just how important it is that we keep fighting for immigrants in every corner of the country. And I was proud to fight for the creation of DACA alongside Dreamers across the country. Now, as a member of Congress, I am proud to co-lead the American Dream and Promise Act that would create a roadmap to citizenship for Dreamers. As we celebrate DACA’s anniversary, we must recommit to all the work left to do. We have to ground our immigration policy in the values of dignity, humanity, and respect while rejecting the hatred and xenophobia that so many push. Immigrants have always been and will always be a valuable and crucial part of society. Immigrants deserve permanent solutions, and I remain committed to fighting for a roadmap to citizenship for all.”
Rep. Ro Khanna (CA-17):
“On June 15, 2012, President Barack Obama announced the DACA program, giving hundreds of thousands of young people the opportunity to go to school, gain employment, and continue their lives in the U.S. without the fear of deportation. Immigrants make our nation stronger. I stand with my CAPAC colleagues in working to protect DACA.”
Rep. Barbara Lee (CA-12):
“For eleven years now, DACA has protected more than one million undocumented youth who were brought to this country as children from deportation. Thanks to DACA, these young immigrants have had a chance to become active parts of the communities they call home. However, this anniversary comes as litigation in multiple courts and agency rule-making have left this remarkably successful program under legal threat. The need for a permanent and more comprehensive solution is higher than ever, with approximately 100,000 undocumented high schoolers graduating this spring unable to legally live or work in the United States. The Senate must pass the DREAM Act urgently so that these Dreamers are no longer stuck in legal limbo.”
Rep. Marilyn Strickland (WA-10):
“On the 11th anniversary of the DACA program, we celebrate the 800,000 Dreamers who have helped our communities prosper and our economy thrive. I’m proud to stand with my CAPAC colleagues as we renew our commitment to comprehensive immigration reform and supporting Dreamers because this nation is their home.”
Sen. Cory Booker (NJ):
“For over a decade, DACA has helped thousands of Dreamers study, work, and start a better life in the United States. This program is a testament to our country’s foundational principle that we are a nation of immigrants and should welcome those who seek to come to our country. Dreamers play a crucial role in shaping and contributing to our country, and I will continue working to ensure these protections remain while fighting to deliver comprehensive immigration policy solutions that are long overdue.”
Rep. Nanette Barragán (CA-44):
“For 11 years, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program has had a significant positive impact for so many individuals in my District and across the country. The program has provided critical protections for people, many of them young adults, so they can feel safe at school, work, and in their communities and has allowed them to contribute immensely to the character and culture of our communities. While we celebrate the 11th anniversary of DACA, we recognize that we must provide permanent protections for DACA recipients and Dreamers. This program is only temporary and does not provide the full range of protections or a sense of permanency and belonging that all of these individuals deserve. It is long past time that Congress makes these protections permanent and create a pathway to citizenship for DACA recipients and all Dreamers.”
Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01):
“For the past eleven years, DACA has allowed Dreamers to stay and build lives in the only home many have ever known. Dreamers are vital members of Northwest Oregon communities. I have had the pleasure of getting to know some of these bright young Oregonians, like Brenda, who is an educator in Hillsboro, Oregon. Brenda has been a counselor for kids and families in the same school district from which she graduated, and she is currently connecting veterans with local union apprenticeships. Despite her valuable service to Oregonians, Brenda’s temporary status has prevented her from making major life decisions - like starting a family. She grew up with the constant fear and anxiety that her parents might be deported, which influenced her decision not to have children. Dreamers are no longer high school graduates; they are adults who are still in limbo and fearful of being deported from their homes. DACA was never meant to be a permanent solution, and that uncertainty can be cruelly weaponized, as the Trump Administration demonstrated. Meaningful immigration reform is long overdue. On the anniversary of DACA, I stand with my CAPAC colleagues and with Dreamers to strive for an immigration system that is just and humane.”
Rep. Salud Carbajal (CA-24):
“Since its establishment 11 years ago, over 580,000 DACA recipients have been able to attend school, find work, and build their life here in the United States. They have become our teachers, doctors, social workers, and other roles that our community needs to thrive. This country is the only home all of these recipients have ever known, and each of them have contributed something valuable to our communities through their hard work and patriotism. This anniversary is yet another reminder of why we must continue pushing to codify DACA into federal law, and put an end to the perpetual limbo DACA recipients live in.”
Rep. Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07):
“Houston is a city of immigrants, and Dreamers are part of the fabric of our community, as they are in communities across the country. For more than 10 years, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program has allowed Dreamers to contribute to and build a life in our country—the only country many of them have ever known as home. I join my colleagues in the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus in recognizing eleven years of DACA and in supporting a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers.”
Rep. Gregory Meeks (NY-05):
“Eleven years ago, President Barack Obama established the DACA program, allowing hundreds of thousands of Dreamers the ability to live, work, and thrive in America without fear of removal. This policy has been one of hope and opportunity, giving these young individuals who have sacrificed so much a chance to build a life in the country they’ve called home for most of their lives. To much dismay, the futures of our young Dreamers still remain uncertain. They are still burdened by the fear that their lives could be ripped away in the only country they’ve ever known. On this anniversary, let us not only celebrate the contributions and achievements of our Dreamers, but recommit to our work to create and protect pathways to citizenship – so we can make the American Dream a reality for all.”
Rep. Kevin Mullin (CA-15):
“Eleven years ago today, President Obama announced the landmark Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. In that moment, we solidified the right of millions of dreamers to work, study, and build their lives here in the United States. A little over a decade later, our commitment to DACA cannot waiver. So many dreamers have only ever known this country as their home. Let’s help them build a pathway to citizenship by passing the DREAM Act.”
Rep. Katie Porter (CA-47):
“California is home to over a quarter of all Dreamers, and I’m proud to represent many in Orange County. These young adults came to the United States as children and enrich our communities with their invaluable contributions. Now, Dreamers’ futures lie in the hands of an extremist court if Congress doesn’t act. As we celebrate the 11th anniversary of DACA, we must recommit to codifying protections for Dreamers and immigrants into law.”