Today, in a blatant, politically-motivated attack against immigrants, U.S. Federal Judge Andrew Hanen halted the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

Hanen, widely known as a xenophobic extremist on the bench, prohibited any new applications for DACA being granted as of today — even those of the tens of thousands of young people who have applied in recent months but not yet gotten a decision due to government backlogs. Once again, immigrant youth are under attack, and their lives are in limbo.

This is a devastating blow to the tens of thousands of young people who qualify for DACA and who have applied since the program reopened in December 2020. Since then, our team  has received over 800 calls from people interested in applying for DACA, showing the overwhelming interest and desire to access the program. Current DACA holders will be able to continue renewing their DACA while the decision is appealed.

The ruling is terrible news for our members like Johana Larios, a plaintiff in Batalla Vidal v. Wolf, whose first-time DACA application is still pending months after she filed, Johana said, “This decision puts DACA-eligible people like me, and existing DACA recipients, in very real danger. Despite our victory at the Supreme Court, Judge Hanen insists on ending the DACA program and leaving immigrants at risk of deportation and separation from our loved ones.”

This terrible ruling makes it clearer than ever: Congress must act so that our communities have the protections they need. Congress must use every tool at its disposal to deliver a pathway to citizenship for all our community members.

We have a difficult fight ahead as we insist on a pathway to citizenship for all undocumented people, and we can’t wait any longer.

Support our fight now, we need you with us. Donate today.

And join us in New York City to take action this Friday, July 23rd at Columbus Park (Bayard St & Baxter St) at 12PM. RSVP for more details.

In anger and solidarity,