Washington, D.C. - Today marks the final Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) renewal deadline for any DACA-mented individuals whose work authorization expires before March 18, 2018. In response to the cruel and arbitrary deadline imposed by the Trump Administration, the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, AFL-CIO (APALA) issued the following statement:
Alvina Yeh, APALA National’s Executive Director said, “Days like today is a painful reminder of the Trump’s administration’s hateful attacks on immigrant communities. We know that the impact of the end of the DACA program extends beyond the 800,000 DACA recipients but also includes their families, friends, and colleagues. We have to remember, however, that it was the bravery and courage of Undocumented immigrant youth and their families that made the DACA program possible in the first place. We will continue to defend, protect and fight alongside our immigrant brothers, sisters, and siblings and use all vehicles possible until we see a clean DREAM Act passed in Congress.”
APALA National President Monica Thammarath added, “Today, I am keeping the stories of our Undocumented immigrant youth close. I am thinking of the late Tam Tran and Cinthya Felix, two immigrant rights leaders who tirelessly fought for the passing of the DREAM Act of 2010. Even though that bill failed by a narrow margin, their stories remind me that we cannot stop fighting until all Undocumented immigrant communities are able to live without shame or fear. DACA was only a means to our goal but not the goal itself. With DACA rescinded we call on Congress to pass a permanent legislative solution to provide young Undocumented immigrants a pathway to citizenship without endangering other communities in the process. We call on Congress to pass a #cleanDREAMAct now.”
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Alvina Yeh, APALA National’s Executive Director said, “Days like today is a painful reminder of the Trump’s administration’s hateful attacks on immigrant communities. We know that the impact of the end of the DACA program extends beyond the 800,000 DACA recipients but also includes their families, friends, and colleagues. We have to remember, however, that it was the bravery and courage of Undocumented immigrant youth and their families that made the DACA program possible in the first place. We will continue to defend, protect and fight alongside our immigrant brothers, sisters, and siblings and use all vehicles possible until we see a clean DREAM Act passed in Congress.”
APALA National President Monica Thammarath added, “Today, I am keeping the stories of our Undocumented immigrant youth close. I am thinking of the late Tam Tran and Cinthya Felix, two immigrant rights leaders who tirelessly fought for the passing of the DREAM Act of 2010. Even though that bill failed by a narrow margin, their stories remind me that we cannot stop fighting until all Undocumented immigrant communities are able to live without shame or fear. DACA was only a means to our goal but not the goal itself. With DACA rescinded we call on Congress to pass a permanent legislative solution to provide young Undocumented immigrants a pathway to citizenship without endangering other communities in the process. We call on Congress to pass a #cleanDREAMAct now.”
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| pass_a_clean_dream_act_now_.pdf |
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