TOP statement on DACA court ruling

The following statement is from Jessica Azua, Immigration Justice Director of the Texas Organizing Project (TOP), in response to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals today issuing a ruling on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, sending the case back to a lower court.

“Since DACA’s inception a decade ago, far-right politicians have launched attack after attack against not just the program, but the basic humanity of recipients themselves.

Texas has the second-largest population of people in the DACA program in the U.S., but all Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton are focused on is villainizing migrant families any chance they get instead of working on policy solutions to uplift immigrant communities. Abbott and Paxton are leading this charge because in the eyes of today’s GOP, the cruelty is the point. Texas Organizing Project will never back down and allow extremists to strip Dreamers of their humanity and right to thrive in this country we call home.

“The fact that Republicans are applauding this partisan court ruling that keeps the well-being of hundreds of thousands of people in jeopardy tells you all you need to know about their malicious intent with their lawsuit.

“This court ruling only makes clearer the urgent need for members of Congress to act to pass a permanent legislative solution that will allow their constituents to fully contribute to our country and live free without the threat of deportation.”

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Texas Organizing Project organizes Black and Latino communities in Dallas, Harris, Bexar, and Fort Bend counties with the goal of transforming Texas into a state where working people of color have the power and representation they deserve. For more information, visit organizetexas.org.

This statement was sent out October 5, 2022.