Los programas de DAPA y DACA fueron el resultado de la movilización de los DREAmers y activistas por los derechos de los inmigrantes y sus demandas contra las deportaciones. El presidente Obama, quien había dicho anteriormente que no tenía el poder para evitar aún más las deportaciones, tuvo que ceder en el 2014 ante la presión de las protestas, ya que el control republicano del congreso se oponía y obstruía cualquier propuesta de ley. El gobernador republicano de Texas, Greg Abbott, junto a otros 25 gobiernos de estados republicanos, introdujeron una demanda en las cortes federales y persuadieron al tribunal de primera instancia para bloquear la implementación de estos programas.

El programa de DAPA hubiera ampliado la acción diferida para incluir a los padres indocumentados de hijos ciudadanos nacidos en los EE.UU., otorgándole protección temporal de deportación y el derecho a trabajar legalmente. El programa de DAPA y la expansión de DACA, hubieran beneficiado alrededor de 5 millones de personas o un poco menos de la mitad de los 10 millones de inmigrantes indocumentados actualmente en los EE.UU.

La gran mayoría de los inmigrantes indocumentados provienen de México y Centro América. Huyendo de la violencia del crimen organizado y de la represión gubernamental que sufren en sus países, al llegar a los EE.UU. son confrontados por más violencia, represión gubernamental, y explotación y discriminación racista. Los llamados Minutemen (grupo paramilitar), derechistas como Donald Trump, impulsan el fervor anti-inmigrante y promueven más ataques contra los indocumentados – incluyendo la construcción de otro muro en la frontera de México y EE.UU.

El activista Santiago Molina de Tucson, Arizona, dijo que “esta decisión confirma la necesidad de unificar los movimientos populares con la demanda por la legalización de los 11 millones. Tanto las cortes, los políticos de derecha, que son los voceros de las corporaciones que explotan a los indocumentados, como el presidente Obama, han incumplido con la comunidad de inmigrantes. Este gobierno está en las manos de una clase dominante y eso significa rechazo, retraso, deportaciones y muertes para los trabajadores indocumentados y sus familias.”

La Red de Legalización para Todos (L4A) apoya manifestaciones contra la decisión de la Suprema Corte que bloquea la implementación de DAPA. L4A es una red compuesta por organizaciones y personas alrededor del país que promueven la legalización para todos; un alto a las deportaciones; no más programas braceros (blue visas); y no más militarización de la frontera. L4A rechaza la decisión de la Corte Suprema y frente a estas malas noticas exhorta continuar luchando contra las deportaciones y por la legalización de todos!

#WashingtonDC #WashingtonDCDC #PeoplesStruggles #Immigration #DACA #DAPA

The DAPA and expanded DACA programs were a result of DREAMers and immigrant rights activists hitting the streets demanding a halt to deportations. President Obama, who earlier had said that he did not have the power to more widely defer deportations, gave ground in 2014 to the protests, given the continued stonewalling by the Republican controlled House and Senate to block any legalization bills. Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott and 25 other Republican state governments immediately filed suit in federal court to block the programs, and were able to persuade the lower court to do so.

The DAPA program would have expanded the DACA program to the undocumented parents of U.S.-born citizen children, granting them temporary relief from deportation and the legal right to work. DAPA, along with the expansion of the DACA, would have covered about 5 million people, or less than half the more than 10 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S.

The vast majority of the undocumented population is Mexican and Central American. Fleeing gang violence and government repression in their home countries, they enter the U.S. only to be met with further violence, government repression, exploitation and racist discrimination. Minutemen (a paramilitary group) and right-wingers like Donald Trump fuel the anti-immigrant fire, and call for increased attacks against the undocumented – including building another wall at the U.S./Mexico border.

“This decision confirms the need for the mass movements to unite with the demand for legalization for all 11 million undocumented people. The courts, the right wing which is the political voice of the corporations that exploit the undocumented, and an unwilling President Obama all fail to deliver. This government is in the hands of the ruling class and that means denials, delays, deaths and deportations for the undocumented workers and their families,” says Santiago Molina who is an activist in Tucson, Arizona.

The Legalization for All Network (L4A) supports protests of the Supreme Court ruling that continues to block DAPA. L4A is a network comprised of individuals and organizations around the country who support legalization for all; a stop to all deportations; no Bracero programs (Blue Visas); and a stop to border militarization. Encouraging all to rise up in a time of bad news, L4A condemns the ruling and will continue to fight back against deportations and for legalization!

#WashingtonDC #SupremeCourt #DACA #DAPA

Chicago, IL – 1000 people marched in Chicago, May 1, from Union Park to the Haymarket Memorial, and then into downtown Chicago to Trump Towers. The front banners read “Stop the deportations!” “Stop the hate! Stop Trump!” “Yes to DAPA/DACA!” “Yes to legalization!” and “Yes to workers’ rights!”DAPA and DACA refer to President Obama’s executive orders for deferred action – Deferred Action for Parental Accountability, and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.

At the Haymarket Memorial earlier in the afternoon, the Illinois Labor History Society and the Chicago Federation of Labor gathered for their annual event to commemorate the martyrs of Haymarket. In 1886, the tradition of International Workers Day was born from a general strike by hundreds of thousands of workers in the U.S. The rich in Chicago called for the leaders of the strike to be rounded up and hung by the government.

This year, the commemoration honored the World Federation of Trade Unions. The Filipino union federation, Kilusang Mayo Uno (May First Movement) also sent a solidarity statement which was read at the memorial.

#ChicaoIL #AntiwarMovement #ImmigrantRights #ImmigrantsRights #MayDay #PeoplesStruggles #chicago #DACA #Illinois #DAPA #laborRights

Los Angeles, CA – Veteran Chicano and immigrant rights leader Carlos Montes commented today, April 18, on the presentation of oral arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court on DACA+ (Deferred Action for Children Arrivals extension) and DAPA (Deferred Action for Parents of Americans).

Montes stated, “The Deferred Action program will provide temporary relief from detentions and deportations. We must demand the U.S. Supreme Court up hold President Obama’s executive order. We should also condemn the right-wing racist Republicans who have blocked its implementation, causing more suffering for millions.”

In early 2014 there President Obama issued an executive order to create Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Deferred Action for Children Arrivals, also known as DAPA/DACA. In 2014, 26 Republican governors, led by Texas Governor Greg Abbott, filed a lawsuit in federal court that blocked its implementation. The Obama administration filed an appeal challenging the Republican-led lawsuit, which was heard before the Supreme Court today.

#LosAngelesCA #AntiwarMovement #PeoplesStruggles #CentroCSO #CarlosMontes #Immigration #DAPA #California #LA

Washington DC – Thousands marched on the U.S. Supreme Court this morning, April 18, to support of DAPA, Deferred Action for the Parents of Americans. The executive order grants deferred action to millions undocumented immigrants who have lived in the U.S. since 2010 and whose children are documented.

Currently, the right wing, led by Texas republicans, have sued to prevent the policy from being fully enacted. Oral augments on the case were heard by the Supreme Court earlier today.

Protesters chanted, “Up up with liberation, down down with deportation.”

The Supreme Court is slated to decide on the case by late June.

#WashingtonDC #DAPA

Milwaukee, WI – On April 6, members and affiliates of immigrant rights activist group United We Dream held actions around the country to raise awareness of a significant issue. DACA+ (Deferred Action for Children Arrivals extension) and DAPA (Deferred Action for Parents of Americans) will return to the Supreme Court after a delay caused by Justice Scalia’s death in February. As the court date approaches, groups in Albuquerque, Milwaukee, and many other cities are holding actions, making noise and taking the streets in attempts to direct media attention toward the families affected by the measures.

On the night of April 6, in Milwaukee, students, workers and others marched down the busiest street of the city’s downtown, mariachi band in tow, chanting in support of their brothers, sisters, parents and selves, all eager for a favorable ruling on DACA+ and DAPA. The march was organized by Youth Empowered in the Struggle (YES), a radical immigrant rights group comprised of progressive university students and community members.

Blas Antimo Perez, a YES member and first generation Chicanx, said he was marching for “my undocumented parents. Although I do not benefit from DACA, having been born in the U.S., I stand with my brothers and sisters who deserve a better experience in this country. DACA and DAPA mean not having to live with paranoia, they mean having the freedom and comfort to plan for the future. These policies will allow self-determination for people who are constantly unable to fulfill their dreams because they are burdened by manmade borders ­ a detriment to Latinxs in this country.”

DACA+ and DAPA has the potential to better the lives of millions of immigrants currently living in fear of deportation, separation from their families and forced removal from their jobs and homes.

The Supreme Court is expected to hear the case April 18.

#MilwaukeeWI #MilwauekeeWI #StudentMovement #OppressedNationalities #ChicanoLatino #UnitedWeDream #DACA #YouthEmpoweredInTheStruggleYES #DAPA

The expansion of Deferred Action would have shielded up to 5 million undocumented people who had been in the U.S. for more than five years and who were parents of U.S. citizen or legal resident children. Obama announced this program in November of 2014 after the Republican-led House of Representatives failed to act on immigration reform. In 2012 he signed DACA, Deferred Action for undocumented immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children. About 85% of undocumented people and those who would benefit from the Deferred Action expansion are Mexican and Central American, and this would have been a step forward in their struggle for equality.

The lawsuit against the Deferred Action expansion was filed by Republican governor of Texas. Judge Hanen is an anti-immigrant federal judge nominated by President George W. Bush. In a previous decision he had blasted the government for not arresting and deporting a undocumented mother who had brought her child to U.S. to reunite her family.

The injunction stopping the DACA expansion and DAPA is at best a stretch, according to many legal experts. The federal government has authority over immigration, not the states, and in the past the federal government has successfully blocked state-level anti-immigrant laws such as Arizona’s SB1070 and California’s Proposition 187.

Judge Hansen claimed that Obama had violated the law calling for public comments on new government regulations. But the Deferred Action program is not a new regulation; there is no requirement that any businesses or individuals have to follow. Further, the legal standing of the states, that is, their ability to sue based on damages that they suffered is questionable as they claimed that the DAPA would increase undocumented immigration, putting burdens on the states for education, health care, etc. But this is speculation about the future, not actual damage.

The weak legal foundation for blocking the Deferred Action shows the political nature of the courts. For all the claims of impartiality and use of legal presidencies, the fact is that the courts are fundamentally political.

The delay of the Deferred Action expansion was welcomed by Republicans of all stripes, including so-called moderates like former Florida governor and presidential candidate Jeb Bush. This shows once again the anti-immigrant nature of Republican Party, despite all their talk of reaching out to “Hispanics.” The blatant nature of racism in the Republican Party, from their opposition to affirmative action, their attacks on public sector unions that disproportionately affect Black and women workers, to their anti-immigrant actions such as Arizona’s SB1070 are showing again with their attack on Deferred Action.

While the Obama administration almost certainly will appeal this decision, they seemed to be in no rush to do so. Indeed the Democrats could gain from a long, drawn-out battle if they succeed in wedding Chicano and Latino voters to the Democratic Party in the upcoming 2016 election.

For immigrant rights activists, the court delay of Deferred Action shows the importance of continuing to fight for drivers licenses, in-state tuition, and other state and local struggles for equality for the undocumented. Here in California, the long awaited implementation of drivers licenses for undocumented people has allowed thousands to get their licenses, removing the fear that every time they drive could lead to deportation.

The court action also shows the need to fight for legalization of all the undocumented. The expansion of Deferred Action, which would benefit millions of immigrants who could get a Social Security number and better jobs, would still subject to the whim of the courts and future presidents who could end the program. The DAPA would still leave about half of the undocumented as targets of the record level of deportations under the Obama administration.

Overturn the Hansen injunction and implement the DACA expansion and DAPA now!

Drivers licenses and state college tuition equity for undocumented immigrants!

Legalization for all!

#SanJoséCA #PeoplesStruggles #immigrantRights #DACADeferredActionForChildhoodArrivals #DAPA

Fight Back News Service is circulating this Nov. 20 statement by the Legalization for All (L4A) network.

The Legalization for All (L4A) network welcomes President Obama expansion of deferred action as a positive step. His action, which will offer protection from deportation am ability to work legally to about four million undocumented who are parents of U.S. citizen or legal resident children. In addition Obama will expand the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) program and will end the so-called “Secure Communities” program that tried to make local police enforcers for the Federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement or ICE.

Obama’s action is the fruit of the struggle by immigrant rights forces for more than a year. In September of 2013, Legalization for All was among the first immigrant rights groups to raise the demand that President Obama expand his Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals or DACA program. L4A raised this demand because the House of Representatives Republican leadership made it clear that they were not going to take up any votes on immigration reform. Their decision came despite intense lobbying by immigrant rights forces, including L4A, over the summer. The House Republican leadership not only refused to consider the Senate Comprehensive Immigration Reform bill passed in June of 2013, but would not even vote on Republican bills such as the so-called SAFE act that would have cancelled DACA, expanded on Arizona’s 1087 law to further criminalize the undocumented, and authorize the indefinite detention of the undocumented.

Then in a last straw, the House of Representatives Comprehensive Immigration Reform effort collapsed as most of the Republican members of the so-called “Group of Seven” withdrew from the effort on Friday, September 20th, 2013. Following this Legalization for All came out with a call for Obama to expand Deferred Action to all the undocumented. Many other immigrant rights forces also joined the campaign for Deferred Action, which along with its twin demand to stop the deportations. Two important steps were taken by United We Dream, which launched their “We Can’t Wait” campaign in March of 2014, and the letter sent by the National Immigrant Law Center in April signed by more than 60 immigrant rights, community, religious and labor organizations.

While Obama’s expanded Deferred Action is a positive step, it still leaves the majority of undocumented targets of deportations. In particular, Obama’s order will not protect the parents of the Dreamers who came as children, unless the parents also have citizen or legal resident children. Legalization 4 All will continue to support the Dreamers and their parents, including organization such as Dreamers Moms in their struggle to win Deferred Action.

With the total number of deportations closing in on two and a half million under Obama, the struggle against deportations needs to continue on both a national and local level. Legalization for All is committed to participating in this campaign with other national organizations such as PUENTE and local groups like the Minneapolis-Saint Paul MIRAC (Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee).

We are committed to continuing the struggle for Deferred Action For All, so that the millions of undocumented, most of whom have been living and working in this country for many years, can also get relief from the threat of deportations. We also support efforts of groups like the National Immigrant Youth Alliance to bring deportees back to the United States.

While welcoming Obama’s action to expand Deferred Action as a step forward, Legalization for All opposes his action to even further militarize the border. This part of his executive order will only increase deaths among those trying to cross the border and does nothing to address the real reasons that people come: to flee the poverty and violence caused by U.S. economic and military interventions in Mexico and Central America.

State and local campaigns to expand the rights of the undocumented will continue to be an important area of struggle. For example, in the last two years the number of states granting drivers licenses to the undocumented has gone from three to ten. Local organization such as RAICES in Florida and other that are fighting for drivers licenses, Youth Empowered in Struggle (YES) fighting in Wisconsin along with others for in-state tuition for undocumented college students, will be waging important fights to expand the rights of the undocumented at the state and local levels. This fight will be especially intense in many so-called Red States where Republican will try to obstruct the expanded Deferred Action program by trying to deny drivers licenses to those getting Deferred Action.

Republicans are now trying to blame Obama and Deferred Action for their lack of action. But in the last four years that the Republicans have controlled the House of Representatives, they HAVE NOT BROUGHT ONE SINGLE IMMIGRATION BILL TO A VOTE BY THE ENTIRE HOUSE. It is the struggle of the people, not politicians, who continue the fight to legalize the undocumented.

Continue the fight for Drivers Licenses and Tuition Equity for Deferred Action and All Undocumented!

Expand Deferred Action to Cover Parents of Dreamers and All the Undocumented!

Fight for Legalization for All!

#UnitedStates #Obama #LegalizationForAllNetwork #DACA #DeferredActionForChildhoodArrivalsDACA #DAPA