For Immediate Release
Contact: Hamp Price | hamp@tnimmigrant.org |
NASHVILLE - Today, the Supreme Court announced their 5-4 ruling on three cases related to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, ruling that Trump’s termination of the program was unlawful, providing temporary relief to DACA recipients and their families. More than 7000 Tennesseans are currently protected by DACA and will continue to receive temporary work authorization and protection from deportation.
The following is a quote from Jazmin Ramirez, DACA recipient and Organizer with the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition:
“Today the Supreme Court recognized the humanity and contributions of hundreds of thousands of DACA recipients across the country. By ruling that the Trump administration's ending of DACA was unlawful, the Court has allowed me and more than 7000 Tennesseans to continue working and contributing to the community that we call home.
For the last eight years, DACA has allowed me to dream of a better future - to go to school, to work, and to live without fear of deportation. Today's victory is a testament to the powerful organizing of immigrant youth. We fought to win protection through DACA and will continue to fight for permanent protections for all of our communities.
As we celebrate today’s decision, we know we have a long way to go to win justice in this country. We continue to stand with Black communities, including Black DACA recipients, who are leading the fight against white supremacy and police brutality in this country. We know that the systems that work to detain and deport immigrants are rooted in systems of racism and white supremacy. None of us are free until all of us are free.”
The following is a quote from Stephanie Teatro, Co-Director with the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition:
“Today’s incredible victory reaffirms what we already know: immigrant youth are powerful and are here to stay. Immigrant youth organized tirelessly to win protections through DACA and to defend the program against repeated attacks. Immigrant youth in Tennessee have shown that when we organize we can win. Today’s ruling provides critical relief for DACA recipients and their families who have been living with immense uncertainty waiting for today’s decision. We know the fight to protect DACA doesn’t end today. We’ll keep fighting to protect the program and to win relief for all immigrants in Tennessee.”
Background:
The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, created in 2012, provides temporary protection from deportation to undocumented immigrants who arrived in the Untied States as children. Over the past seven years, more than 700,000 immigrant youth — including more than 7,000 in Tennessee — have been able to work, attend school, better support their families and more fully contribute to the community because of DACA.
An overwhelming 75 percent of Tennessee voters believe DACA recipients should be allowed to stay in the U.S. and apply for citizenship, according to a 2018 MTSU poll.
In 2017, President Donald Trump signed an executive order terminating the DACA program. DACA recipients sued to preserve their protections and lower courts ruled to allow renewals for existing DACA recipients to continue, but new applicants were barred from applying.
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TIRRC is a statewide, immigrant and refugee-led collaboration whose mission is to empower immigrants and refugees throughout Tennessee to develop a unified voice, defend their rights, and create an atmosphere in which they are recognized as positive contributors to the state. Since its founding in 2001, TIRRC has worked to develop immigrant leadership, build the capacity of its immigrant-led member organizations, help immigrant community members understand and engage in the civic process, and educate the public about policies that would better promote integration of new immigrants and facilitate their full participation in US society. In just a few years TIRRC has grown from a grassroots network of community leaders into one of the most diverse and effective coalitions of its kind, a model for emerging immigrant rights organizations in the Southeast and throughout the United States.
For more information visit www.tnimmigrant.org.
Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition
2195 Nolensville Pike | Nashville, Tennessee 37211