DACA One Year Anniversary Gives Optimism For Passage Of Broader Immigration Reform

Washington, D.C. – Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Chairman Ruben Hinojosa (TX-15), members of the CHC leadership team, Chair of the Immigration Taskforce Rep. Luis V. Gutiérrez (IL-4) and Senator Robert Menendez (NJ), released the following statement today in commemoration of the one year anniversary of the day applications first were accepted for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).

Chairman Rubén Hinojosa (TX-15): "DACA has been an incredible success for our country. To date we have given 400,000 young immigrants the ability to continue to contribute to this country, the only country that most of these outstanding individuals have ever known. The overwhelming success of this program also gives me optimism that we can move beyond the political rhetoric on a broader immigration reform bill. It is my great hope that when we return from recess Congress can finally begin work on passing a broader immigration reform bill with an earned pathway to citizenship."

First Vice Chair Ben Ray Luján (NM-03): "Since the implementation of DACA, children who were brought to our country at a young age, through no fault of their own, have been able to come out of the shadows and no longer have to live in fear. While DACA has had a profound impact on our immigration system, it does not replace the need for Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform, which includes the DREAM Act and a pathway to citizenship."

Whip Michelle Lujan Grisham (NM-01): "New Mexico families have told me over and over that DACA is a successful start to a pathway to citizenship; but it's just a start. These eager students and workers are now able to come out of the shadows and pursue their dreams of studying and advancing their careers. They want Congress to enact comprehensive immigration reform, which keeps families together and unite our communities around the ideals that define our great nation."

Chair of the Immigration Task Force of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Luis Gutiérrez(IL-4): "DACA was a turning point. Politically it was a huge boost to the President and helped galvanize Democrats around immigration reform and putting a stop to needless deportations that break up families and waste resources. The American people saw hundreds of thousands of young immigrants come forward who are just like other young people in America. It put a face on the immigration issue and set aside fears that legalization is unworkable or politically disastrous. It showed that immigration reform on a grander scale can work and that it is the right thing to do."

Senator Robert Menendez (NJ): "One year ago, the implementation of DACA served as a monumental first step towards a fairer and more efficient immigration system. Today, over 400,000 young men and women who were kept from enrolling at colleges and universities can finally achieve their full potential, being full participants in American life and full contributors to the American economy through their ingenuity, skills, and hard work. The American people have long realized, and the success of DACA shows us, that revamping our outdated immigration system is the right thing to do. It benefits all of us. Now, Congress must finish the task at hand by passing a permanent solution – comprehensive immigration reform with an earned pathway to citizenship."

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