URGE Condemns Court Ruling on DACA
(Washington, D.C.) On Wednesday, October 5, 2022, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled in the case Texas v. United States, which challenges the legality of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). The Court held that DACA is unconstitutional and sent the case back to the District Court for further consideration. This decision continues to dismantle DACA completely, threatening the livelihoods of a generation of DREAMers who call the United States their home.
URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity strongly condemns this decision and supports the rights of all people to live and migrate freely, without fear of deportation, family separation, or criminalization. We recognize that these attempts to end DACA disproportionately affect the community that URGE centers in our work with young people, particularly immigrants who are young queer and trans people of color. Nearly 50% of LGBTQ+ DACA recipients live in states where URGE focuses our work, including California, Texas, and Georgia.
“The ability to live in safe and sustainable communities is a key principle of reproductive justice, yet the federal judiciary has continuously eroded that right for young people who are DACA recipients, causing confusion and instability,” said Desireé Luckey, Director of Policy at URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity. “While the future of DACA remains unclear, Dreamers are here to stay. It is imperative that Congress take action to ensure permanent protections for DACA recipients and that all people, regardless of their documentation status, are able to remain in the communities that they call home.”
URGE will continue to call on Congressional leadership to take meaningful action to address the needs of Dreamers and all immigrants. We cannot wait for another court decision or for this case to make its way to the Supreme Court when Dreamers and their families live with uncertainty every day. Congress must act now and we will continue our efforts to support immigrant justice organizations leading this fight.
