Yesterday, we highlighted how American public sentiment, led by the courage and first-person testimonials of Dreamers themselves, created the climate for the impressive work of the movement’s litigators to win in the courts to keep DACA alive. These victories have come despite a relentless, multiyear attack on DACA from Republicans and the Trump administration.
Late yesterday, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) updated its guidance in accordance with last Friday’s order from Judge Nicholas Garaufis (and the Supreme Court’s ruling in June), to accept new applications from Dreamers into the DACA program. While DACA opponents are continuing their effort to upend Dreamers’ lives, with the upcoming hearing from Judge Andrew Hanen the next threat on the horizon, the official news that DACA will take new applicants is worth celebrating.
Below, we highlight just a few of the thousands of voices of those who helped deliver yesterday’s victory and are most directly affected:
- Juan Escalante, Digital Campaigns Manager for FWD.us and a friend and former colleague at America’s Voice, on MSNBC: “this is a major victory for the immigrant rights movement and DACA recipients all across the country. We have proven once again to this administration under Donald Trump that we are not scared to essentially push back against his anti-immigrant rhetoric, racist policies and attacks on ourselves and our families… Once again we put points on the board for Dreamers, DACA recipients and immigrants all across this nation.” Additionally in the Miami Herald, Escalante said, “What is important is for new DACA recipients to take advantage of this new development, and use the opportunity to obtain deportation protections, a work permit and the ability to drive.”
- Astrid Silva, Executive Director for Dream Big Nevada, who is fundraising for DACA scholarships: “This is awesome, this is great, happiness, excitement, because we keep getting beat down by this administration and we keep coming back and we keep coming back stronger, and we keep winning cases, because we all know that this was always good.”
- Reyna Montoya, a DACA recipient and the founder of the immigrant advocacy group Aliento in Phoenix, Arizona, tweeted: “I can tell you a thousand of stories of dreamers I go to speak to after Sept. 5, 2017. My eyes get so teared up as I think of their faces and their parents voices. Now, I am crying tears of joy, I finally got the chance to share good news around #DACA!! Apply.”
- Leidy León, a student at UC Merced and a newly eligible applicant, when she found out the news: “She burst into tears and called her mother, who began crying as well. ‘Ya era tiempo,’ her mom told her. ‘It was about time.’”
