Denver, CO — Today, Judge Hanen of the Southern District of Texas ruled against DACA in the Texas v.s. United States DACA case, creating uncertainty for over 13,000 DACA recipients in Colorado alone. Judge Hanen previously ruled against the program back in 2021, halting new first-time DACA applications for tens of thousands of DACA eligible youth.
Hanen’s decision does not impact current DACA recipients or their renewals, nor does it change or expand eligibility until the Fifth Circuit issues a new decision.The ruling it is yet another reminder of the urgent need for Congress and the Biden Administration to act and create permanent protections for hard working immigrants and their families.
Gladis Ibarra, the Co-Executive Director of the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition (CIRC) shared, “As a DACA recipient myself, this ruling hits close to home. It’s deeply frustrating to witness how much DACA recipients contribute to this country, working tirelessly to build our lives here, and yet we’re denied the same basic rights as those born here. It feels like a glaring hypocrisy – they want our labor and contributions, but they won’t extend to us the very rights we deserve as residents of this nation. It’s simply not just, and it’s a painful reminder that we must continue our fight for equal rights and permanent protections for all immigrants in this country.”
Nayda Benitez, a Campaign Manager with CIRC added, “DACA was never enough. Congress has had 10 years to do something about this and they haven’t. Their inaction is immoral and cruel and it is the primary reason we are here today facing this needless pain and uncertainty in our lives. We are calling on our members of Congress and President Biden to do their job and prioritize legislation that provides permanent security and a path to citizenship for us and our families.”
The ruling is expected to be appealed and the case is likely to reach the Supreme Court. In the meantime, the fight for the rights of immigrants and comprehensive immigration reform remains as crucial as ever.