President Biden said that the DOJ would be appealing and urged Congress to use reconciliation to restore the DACA program fully.
President Biden Tells The Senate To Use Reconciliation To Protect Dreamers After Judge Halts New DACA Applications
In a statement provided to PoliticusUSA, President Biden said:
In 2012, the Obama-Biden Administration created the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy, which has allowed hundreds of thousands of young immigrants to remain in the United States, to live, study, and work in our communities. Nine years later, Congress has not acted to provide a path to citizenship for Dreamers.
Yesterday’s Federal court ruling is deeply disappointing. While the court’s order does not now affect current DACA recipients, this decision nonetheless relegates hundreds of thousands of young immigrants to an uncertain future. The Department of Justice intends to appeal this decision in order to preserve and fortify DACA. And, as the court recognized, the Department of Homeland Security plans to issue a proposed rule concerning DACA in the near future.
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But only Congress can ensure a permanent solution by granting a path to citizenship for Dreamers that will provide the certainty and stability that these young people need and deserve. I have repeatedly called on Congress to pass the American Dream and Promise Act, and I now renew that call with the greatest urgency. It is my fervent hope that through reconciliation or other means, Congress will finally provide security to all Dreamers, who have lived too long in fear.
Senate Democrats Must Add DACA Provisions To Reconciliation Bill
The federal court ruling halted future new applications to the DACA program, which hundreds of thousands of Dreamers. Democrats were given control of Congress for cases exactly like this one.
Protecting Dreamers is politically popular. Even many Republicans tread lightly when it comes to the Dreamers, so there should be no issue with the Senate adding legislative provisions to a reconciliation bill to protect those young immigrants who did not have a say in being brought to this country.
The Dreamers are a valuable asset to the nation who deserve a path to citizenship. It is time for the uncertainty to end and for Congress to make America the land of opportunity again.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
