Congressman García’s Statement on the 10th Anniversary of DACA
Congressman García’s Statement on the 10th Anniversary of DACA
WASHINGTON, DC - Congressman Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04) released the following statement to mark the tenth anniversary of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) initiative, established by President Obama on June 15th, 2012:
“Ten years ago, the tireless, grassroots advocacy of immigrant youth and activists led President Obama to establish DACA, giving recipients and their families peace of mind and an opportunity for young people to come out of the shadows. Unfortunately, the program fell short of providing a path to citizenship and did not fix our broken immigration system.
“DACA recipients are our neighbors and our friends. They are people like Angel who was born in Guatemala and raised by his mom in the Albany Park neighborhood in my district. Angel is a first-generation college student passionate about public service, and currently an intern in my DC office. Angel and thousands more across my district should not have to live their lives in two-year increments. They deserve a permanent solution that recognizes the valuable contributions they make to our country every day, as students, serving in the military, opening new businesses, and by simply being a part of our communities.
“Far-right politicians have attacked this initiative since its inception and have taken it in and out of the courts, leaving DACA recipients and DACA-eligible youth in a state of limbo. Congress introduced and passed H.R. 6, the Dream and Promise Act twice already but it’s been stuck in the Senate. We must end the racist, antiquated filibuster and pass a real solution for the millions of people who call this country home. We will continue fighting to achieve what these young immigrants started: a permanent solution, a pathway to citizenship, and equal justice under the law for DACA holders, for the broader DACA class of people, and for their families.”
Video of Rep. Garcia’s remarks at the DACA anniversary event in the U.S. Capitol today can be seen here.
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