Chicago City Council Latino Caucus condemns the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) ruling made on July 16, 2021 and demands it be appealed immediately

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 17, 2021

CHICAGO, IL - Yesterday, a federal judge in Texas ruled Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), an imperative program that has shielded hundreds of thousands of undocumented young adults from deportation, as unlawful. This throws into question yet again the fate of immigrants known as Dreamers.

“Hundreds of thousands of individual DACA recipients, along with their employers, states, and loved ones, rely on the DACA program,” said Chairman of the Latino Caucus, Ald. Gilbert Villegas (36), “Latinos make up the fabric of this country, this ruling is deeply concerning and will have many undocumented immigrants only look to an uncertain future.” 

The Chicago City Council Latino Caucus was created to fight for the well-being and betterment of all Latino residents of Chicago. We stand against this horrible ruling that will inhibit thousands of residents from leading fruitful lives filled with opportunity. Almost a decade since the program was established, DACA is still one of the only signs of relief for undocumented immigrants looking to remain and work in the U.S.

“We can’t allow any court to turn back the clock on the rights that have been fought so hard for. The only direction we are moving in is towards expansion of those rights and a path to citizenship,” said Chairwoman of the Immigrant Rights Subcommittee of the Latino Caucus, Ald. Rossana Rodriguez (33), “Protecting our immigrant community is a priority and we will fight to ensure all our undocumented siblings are safe.”

The judge who made the ruling, Andrew S. Hanen of the United States District Court in Houston, said President Barack Obama exceeded his authority when he created DACA by executive order in 2012. The Chicago City Council Latino Caucus condemns this ruling and demands it be appealed immediately.

The City Council Latino Caucus includes 13 members from across the city. They represent wards as diverse as Chicago itself. In addition to Chairman Gilbert Villegas (36) and Ald. Rossana Rodriguez (33), the Caucus membership includes: Ald. Daniel LaSpata (1), Ald. Susan Sadlowski Garza (10), Ald. George Cardenas (12), Ald. Michael Rodriguez (22), Ald. Silvana Tabares (23), Ald. Bryon Sigcho-Lopez (25), Ald. Robert Maldonado (26), Ald. Ariel Reboyras (30), Ald. Felix Cardona (31), Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35), and Ald. Andres Vazquez (40). Chicago’s Clerk Anna Valencia is an ex-officio member of the Latino Caucus.