New York, NY, June 18, 2020 — The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds today to the U.S. Supreme Court’s (SCOTUS) 5-4 decision to block the Trump administration’s attempted termination of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.
DACA recipients are valued members of our families, schools, workplaces, and communities. Amidst the COVID-19 crisis, they are critical to the response. According to the Center for American Progress, more than 200,000 DACA recipients are front line workers integral to America’s pandemic response, including nearly 30,000 individuals who are medical professionals.
Hans Van de Weerd, the Vice President of Resettlement, Asylum, and Integration at the IRC said:
“The U.S. Supreme Court's decision to uphold DACA is a victory for hundreds of thousands of DACA recipients, including their more than 25,000 U.S. citizen children, and their communities. This decision finally makes good on the promise that we made to so many talented young people—that they have a home here and they do not have to fear being uprooted or separated from their families.
"Although DACA continues today, the program is still in jeopardy. A permanent solution is needed to ensure security and stability for the more than 825,000 DACA recipients and millions of undocumented immigrants who call this country home. With a majority of Americans supporting permanent relief for DACA recipients, the Senate must pass the bipartisan American Dream and Promise Act (H.R. 6), which already passed the House, to ensure that DACA recipients can make a home in the U.S.”
The IRC will continue to provide direct immigration legal representation on behalf of more than 2,000 individual DACA recipients, alongside legal information and ‘Know Your Rights’ workshops to ensure they continue to enjoy basic civil rights including the right to work. The IRC stands with all Dreamers and will continue to advocate for a pathway to permanent residency and citizenship.