In last week’s blog, Barbara Kane  noted that on November 12,2019, the Supreme Court  will hear oral  arguments about the legality of DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals ) program.  Some background to this important issue  may be helpful.

In 2012, the Department of Homeland Security initiated the DACA  program for certain undocumented individuals who came to the United States as children and met several  guidelines.  DACA was patterned after the DREAM Act, bipartisan legislation that was initiated more than a decade ago but has  not  become law.  The purpose of  DACA was to utilize prosecutorial  discretion  to provide undocumented persons who were brought to the United States when they were children with temporary relief from deportation and work authorization.  The status expires after two years, subject to renewal.

The current administration announced termination  of the DACA program on September 15,2017.  While this termination is now the subject of litigation and multiple nationwide preliminary injunctions, these are only partial and temporary.  This situation has  created  much anguish and uncertainty.  Dreamers are young people who include DACA  recipients, as well  as other undocumented individuals of  similar age group who were brought to the United States by their parents  as children.  They are contributors to our country,veterans of our military, academic standouts in our universities, and leaders in our parishes. .  Dreamers are woven into the fabric of our country and our Church, and are, by every social and human measure, American youth.

We believe that the dignity of every  human being, particularly that of youth and families, must be protected and we believe that our nation has a moral  responsibility to provide a path to citizenship ,not only for DACA and the Dreamers, but for all those with Temporary Protected Status.  Use every opportunity to call on your members of Congress to find  a bipartisan legislative solution to protect all these young people and hardworking  families and pray that our Supreme Court will support the legality of DACA so that we may, once again , make a move to become a WELCOMING NATION.