DHS to suspend deportation of DREAMers, others

A BIG VICTORY FOR OUR MOVEMENT! 
DHS to suspend deportation of DREAMers, others

We are pleased to pass on the great news that all of our collective phone calls, faxes, emails, letters, marching and rallying have paid off.

Today, the Department of Homeland Security and officials from the Obama Administration announced that they will be suspending deportations of individuals who fit low-priority categories as outlined in Prosecutorial Discretion memos released in June. Those who fit the “low-priority” category include DREAMers – or individuals who were brought here as children, pregnant women, elderly, disabled, veterans, and long-term Permanent Residents, PROVIDED they do not have felony convictions. Those that do fit the “low-priority” category will be allowed to apply for a work visa.

“Today’s announcement shows that this president is willing to put muscle behind his words and to use his power to intervene when the lives of good people are being ruined by bad laws.” - Rep. Luis V. Gutierrez, Illinois Democrat.

This change in policy will only affect non-citizens who are in deportation proceedings and will not apply to individuals who are not currently in removal proceedings. In fact, DHS has not even established any mechanism for individuals to be considered under this process if they are not already in the process of being deported 

As President Obama has deported nearly one million people in just two years, we remain cautiously optimistic about today's announcement and hope that these policies are implemented quickly and as promised.  Only with these new policies changes can we see families spared the horrors of being forcibly torn apart.

After all of our hard work, we finally have a BIG VICTORY we can celebrate together. We still have much more difficult work to do like continuing the pressure on the Administration to end the fatally flawed and destructive “Secure Communities” Program and pushing Congress forward on reforming our broken immigration system.

To continue this momentum, we need your help.  As CAUSA’s work is only as strong as the community that supports us, please take a moment and help us ensure that we will see an end to harmful policies that tear families apart and hurt our communities.

Posted in: Department of Homeland,Deportations,DHS,DREAMers,Obama Administration Security