San Francisco, CA— CAA applauds Judge John D. Bates’ decision to resume the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program by citing that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) did not have grounds for ending temporary protection for almost 800,000 undocumented youth and young people in the country.
While DACA renewals are still being processed as a result of two injunctions issued by federal judges in Brooklyn and San Francisco, new applicants were not accepted. Judge Bates’s decision yesterday changes that. Moving forward, DHS has 90 days to submit an explanation for ending the program otherwise DACA will be fully reinstated. Given the complexity of the program and risks involved, potentially eligible immigrants are encouraged to meet with immigration attorneys to assess protections on a case-by-case basis.
This is a crucial victory for immigrant communities and advocates across the country. The Trump Administration’s relentless policy and rhetorical attacks against immigrant communities have created a culture of fear and panic and have rolled back historical civil and immigrant rights victories such as DACA. Cross-racial efforts to activate grassroots power, many led by directly impacted immigrants, has sought to resist these policies and provide know-your-rights education to those vulnerable to deportation and detention.
CAA Immigrant Rights Program Manager Amy Lin states, “This is a victory of organized communities against Trump administration’s denying the rights and jeopardizing the safety of undocumented people. Immigrant communities must continue to unite and advocate for all marginalized communities including those affected by the racist Muslim Ban and lost protections as a result of rescinded programs like Temporary Protected Status (TPS).”
CAA staffs a multi-lingual 24/7 hotline (415.200.1548; available in Chinese and other languages) for community members to report any Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activities in San Francisco and activate important community safety nets. CAA also offers free immigration legal referral services to community members needing information about the impact of court rulings on their personal cases. Community members are encouraged to call 415.761.3222 to make an appointment with CAA’s Immigrant Rights Program staff.
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Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA) is a community-based civil rights organization in San Francisco. Our mission is to protect the civil and political rights of Chinese Americans and to advance multiracial democracy in the United States. We advocate for systemic change that protects immigrant rights, promotes language diversity, and remedies racial injustice.
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