Commentary: Immigrants’ rights organizations in New Mexico applaud the effort of 20 attorneys general –including NM Attorney General Hector Balderas– to protect the DACA program amid direct threats to end the proven successful relief. Today’s announcement comes after immigrant youth around the country tuned up the heat in demanding public officials nationwide to publicly come out in support of the administrative relief program.
In aforceful letter directed at the White House, the coalition of attorneys general insisted Trump protect and maintain DACA while highlighting the tremendous impact the program has had nationwide.
The announcement comes after Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, along with 9 other Republican attorneys general and the governor of Idaho, signed and sent a letter to U.S. Attorney, Jeff Session, asking the Secretary of Homeland Security to phase-out the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program by Sept. 5th, 2017.
In New Mexico alone, over 12 thousand people benefit from the program which provides its beneficiaries a temporary protection from deportation.
The following are remarks by members of Listo Nuevo México:
Fabiola Bawden, organizer with El CENTRO stated, “We applaud Hector Balderas and the other attorneys general who are taking a position in response to the attack on DACA by the nativist wing of the GOP. This is in line with our values as New Mexicans and upholds our legacy of resistance and supporting policies which are conducive to immigrant integration. DACA has allowed thousands of New Mexico’s youth to, like their parents, continue to contribute to the economic, cultural, social and intellectual fiber of the state, but without the constant fear of deportation. That said, Dreamers are part of families and communities that are currently being targeted, persecuted, and deported by this administration. We are concerned that some in Washington will try to use DACA and the Dream Act as bargaining chips for increased enforcement against our communities. Our message remains the same: we will not back down, and we will not support a single dollar for separating and deporting families.”
Adriel D. Orozco, attorney with NM Immigrant Law Center said, “It is great to have political leaders across the country, including the Attorney General of New Mexico Hector Balderas, stand up on behalf of DACA and the great benefits that DACA-mented youth and young adults are continuing to provide to our state and this country. As the Attorneys General note in their letter, the discretionary use of deferred action, like DACA, has been used by presidents several times before and legal challenges to DACA have failed in the past. President Trump should stand by his words of supporting DACA and defend any legal challenges that are brought against it.”
Listo NM is calling on all community members to organize in their hometowns and learn how to protect each other. The easiest way to plug in is by visiting our Facebook page where you can be guided to our different resources for Know Your Rights Materials and Deportation Defense Resources.
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Listo NM, is an Albuquerque-based collaborative of nonprofit organizations– includingEl CENTRO de Igualdad y Derechos, NM Dream Team (NMDT),Encuentro, and theNew Mexico Immigrant Law Center (NMILC)– focused on supporting immigrant integration statewide and related support programs, services and advocacy, ensuring low-income immigrants have access to social and legal services for Immigration and Administrative Relief, to foster leadership development and to promote economic and civic engagement in immigrant communities.