On the 10th anniversary of the implementation of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), a law that gives illegal aliens who were brought to America as children immunity from deportation, Arizona’s Democrats are calling for a permanent solution.
Today marks the 10th anniversary of #DACA, Representative Raul Grijalva (D-AZ-03) tweeted. “It’s a reminder that we have a moral obligation to protect Dreamers in AZ and across the nation. We must guarantee certainty for those who have known no other home but this one.”
Today marks the 10th anniversary of #DACA.
It's a reminder that we have a moral obligation to protect Dreamers in AZ and across the nation.
We must guarantee certainty for those who have known no other home but this one. #HomeisHere 1/3
— Raul M. Grijalva (@RepRaulGrijalva) June 15, 2022
DACA recipients are commonly known as “Dreamers.”
“Despite the House’s best efforts, we continue to see xenophobic attacks and inaction,” he said. “The Senate must immediately pass the Dream and Promise Act. Anything less would shamefully neglect our values.”
The Dream and Promise Act would give DACA recipients a path to United States citizenship.
Grijalva also said that DACA “remains the floor, not the ceiling, when it comes to protecting immigrant communities,” suggesting that Democrats may pursue citizenship for other illegal aliens.
“For the 60,000 DACA recipients who call Arizona home, pursuing their American Dreams by going to college or working has helped grow our state’s economy, culture, and community for the better,” Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ-07) said Wednesday on Twitter. “We owe it to our Dreamers to repair our broken immigration system.”
For the 60,000 DACA recipients who call Arizona home, pursuing their American Dreams by going to college or working has helped grow our state’s economy, culture, and community for the better.
We owe it to our Dreamers to repair our broken immigration system.#NoSonOlvidados pic.twitter.com/QWLNfHgDop
— Ruben Gallego (@RepRubenGallego) June 15, 2022
President Joe Biden also called for permanent citizenship for DACA recipients, 600,000 to 800,000 of whom reside in the United States, according to United States Customs and Immigration Services (USCIS) numbers.
“Ten years ago today, I stood by President Obama as we carried out one of our proudest accomplishments,” Biden said. “On this 10th DACA Anniversary, we celebrate the transformational impact it’s had on hundreds of thousands of young people. It’s time for Congress to make this permanent now.”
Ten years ago today, I stood by President Obama as we carried out one of our proudest accomplishments. On this 10th DACA Anniversary, we celebrate the transformational impact it’s had on hundreds of thousands of young people.
It's time for Congress to make this permanent now. pic.twitter.com/03GyhwRtae
— President Biden (@POTUS) June 15, 2022
The calls to make the program permanent are being made as the United States sees a record-setting spike in illegal alien crossings at the Southern Border.
In April, more than 234,000 illegal aliens were encountered by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the most in history, as foreigners continue to pour across the open border.
Recent reports suggest that CBP’s morale is virtually non-existent, and that many of its agents harbor contempt for the Biden administration, which has stood by idly amid the crisis.
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Pete D’Abrosca is a reporter at The Arizona Sun Times and The Star News Network. Email tips to [email protected].
