Supreme Court DACA decision a testimony to the power of people

Amid the COVID 19 pandemic and the country protesting vehemently against police killings of Black people, we can take a short pause to acknowledge an important victory. In June, the Supreme Court ruled against the Trump administration and their plans to rescind the DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival) program. The high court’s decision means nearly 800,000 “Dreamers” have a reprieve from a threat of deportation; 30,000 of DACA recipients are Asian American Pacific Islanders. For these young people, it’s an incredibly emotional victory as they have bought time to continue going to school and working in the U.S, and perhaps most importantly, living in the communities they consider home.

Unfortunately, the court’s decision does not rule out the possibility of this administration to explore other avenues to dismantle the Obama-era program. DACA recipients are still vulnerable until Congress takes action to protect them. It is up to the community, where the majority are strongly in favor of legal pathways to citizenship for these individuals, to weigh in. We must continue to fiercely advocate not only for programs like DACA, but for the rights, safety, and dignity of all undocumented immigrants.

The Supreme Court’s decision is an important reminder that organizing works. It reminds us that the power of the people will always be stronger than the people in power. This win is for and by immigrant organizers around the country who refuse to back down. And this is why we fight.

As you take a moment to celebrate Dreamers, I hope you can also make a commitment to be a part of this fight – to join the conversation around immigration justice, to advocate for the rights and protection of our undocumented immigrants, to show up on the streets for Black immigrants facing police violence, and to vote come Election Day.

Michael Byun
ACRS Executive Director