Austin, TX – Members from three Central Texas youth organizations, that are led by undocumented students to serve undocumented students at Texas State University, St. Edward’s University and The University of Texas in Austin, issued the following statement today after Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit against the constitutionality of the DACA program:
Vanessa Rodriguez, a leader from the University Leadership Initiative, an undocumented student-led organization at The University of Texas at Austin, issued the following statement,
“DACA has allowed me, and many other undocumented DACA recipients, to pursue our dreams and attend college. That is more than 120,000 DACA recipients that live in the State of Texas and call this state their home. Today’s action to once again, threaten the continuation of the DACA program, which has only positively impacted our state and our economy, is a clear attack against people who have made Texas better.”
In addition, Yunuen Alvarado, Programs Coordinator from SCOPE, a student-led organization in Texas State University that advocates for equity for all through education, service and political activism, added,
“It’s disappointing but not surprising that Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is once again trying to tear millions of families apart. He says he wants to end the DACA program because it’s unlawful, but we can see right through him and his racism and xenophobia. If the DACA program ends, I will not be able to continue working or finish my education. Without the program, as a queer immigrant, deportation could put my life at risk.”
Joseph Ramirez, President of the student organization Monarchs on the Hilltop, based in St. Edward’s University, states the following,
“What we face today is the result of congressional failure to act and provide a permanent solution to address the DACA program and its recipients. DACA recipients do not have a pathway to citizenship and are vulnerable to anti-immigrant attacks that only seek to manipulate the issue and continue to spread a negative prejudice against immigrants. We needed a legislative solution on March 5th of this year, and we still still need it to this moment. Until a permanent solution is enacted, DACA needs to remain in place.”
