CHC Calls on DHS to Protect Dreamers on Eve of March 5th Deadline

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) leadership sent a letter to U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kirstjen M. Nielsen urging her not to target DACA recipients who have fallen out of status and to use prosecutorial discretion to protect from detention and deportation those who may otherwise be apprehended in the course of operations, and to fully protect DACA applicants' confidential and sensitive information from use in immigration enforcement matters. This letter comes the day after United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) released data here, here and here showing a backlog of tens of thousands of initial DACA applications waiting to be processed and thousands of pending renewal applications filed by individuals who will begin losing status on March 6.

"Unfortunately, President Trump has repeatedly demonstrated that he does not truly want to solve this DACA crisis… Given this posture, it is critical that DHS ensure that DACA recipients are not deported from the only country they have known and protect the confidential information DACA recipients submitted to the government," the Members wrote.

The Members continue by calling for a meeting with the Secretary to discuss the Trump administration's expansive enforcement efforts and the need for a bipartisan solution for Dreamers: "The Congressional Hispanic Caucus is committed to arriving at a bipartisan legislative solution that protects Dreamers and request a meeting with you in the immediate future to discuss our legislative efforts, as well as the challenges many of our constituents and immigrant families are currently experiencing under the Trump Administration." White House Chief of Staff John Kelly also received a copy of the letter.

The letter was signed by: Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham, Caucus Chair; Rep. Joaquin Castro, Caucus First Vice Chair; Rep. Ruben Gallego, Caucus Second Vice Chair; Rep. Pete Aguilar, Caucus Whip; and Rep. Adriano Espaillat, Caucus Freshman Representative.

A copy of the letter can be found here.

March 1, 2018

The Honorable Kirstjen M. Nielsen

Secretary

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Washington, D.C. 20528

Dear Secretary Nielsen:

We urgently write to you as it has become increasingly clear that President Trump and his Administration have failed to display the leadership and bipartisan work required to come to a narrow and broadly supported solution to protect Dreamers. It has been nearly six months since President Trump rescinded the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and in those months more than 20,000 DACA recipients have fallen out of status. Meanwhile, the President has managed to single-handedly kill any progress to find a permanent bipartisan solution for Dreamers. As a result, we find ourselves barreling toward a DACA crisis that everyone agrees must be prevented. If not for the White House's efforts to undermine any and all bipartisan DACA negotiations and agreements, this issue would have already been addressed and resolved.

As we approach President Trump's self-imposed March 5th DACA deadline, it is critical that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reaffirm that current DACA recipients, and those that have fallen out of status since President Trump rescinded the program, will not be subject to removal. Furthermore, we urge DHS to ensure that the information provided by DACA applicants remain confidential and protected and will not be used for enforcement purposes.

While there is ongoing DACA related litigation, DACA recipients continue to face uncertainty about their future. It is untenable that thousands of these young immigrants and their families live in fear and uncertainty about their jobs, schooling and futures because Republican leadership and President Trump refuse to address this imminent crisis and negotiate a narrow bipartisan agreement. President Trump and Republican Leadership have chosen to hold Dreamers hostage in order to advance the President's deeply unpopular and punitive anti-immigrant agenda. We cannot avert this crisis unless Republican Leadership and President Trump come to the table with a focus and willingness to protect Dreamers.

Unfortunately, President Trump has repeatedly demonstrated that he does not truly want to solve this DACA crisis. We also do not expect Speaker Ryan or Majority Leader McConnell to demonstrate the bipartisan leadership and wherewithal needed to resolve this issue without meeting the President's rigid and unpopular demands. Given this posture, it is critical that DHS ensure that DACA recipients are not deported from the only country they have known and protect the confidential information DACA recipients submitted to the government.

The Congressional Hispanic Caucus is committed to arriving at a bipartisan legislative solution that protects Dreamers and request a meeting with you in the immediate future to discuss our legislative efforts, as well as the challenges many of our constituents and immigrant families are currently experiencing under the Trump Administration.

We look forward to your timely response and attention to this critical matter.

Sincerely,

Michelle Lujan Grisham

CHC Chairwoman

Joaquin Castro

CHC First Vice Chair

Ruben Gallego

CHC Second Vice Chair

Pete Aguilar

CHC Whip

Adriano Espaillat

CHC Freshman Representative

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