Yesterday the U.S. Supreme Court issued a 4-4 split decision on United States v. Texas, putting the hopes and dreams of vulnerable immigrants and their families on hold. The ruling leaves in place, the lower court decision halting the implementation of expanded Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Deferred Action for Parents of Americans (DAPA), preventing an estimated five million undocumented immigrants from gaining work authorization and protection from deportation.
While yesterday’s decision is incredibly disappointing to us and the millions of families and advocates who have fought so hard, we know this is only a temporary setback. TSFF stands committed to supporting immigrant families to move forward in California and the Bay Area. We remain committed to supporting efforts that will encourage immigrants to become citizens and participate fully in the civic and economic life of their communities. Moreover, we continue to call on our elected leaders to enact much needed immigration reforms and other policies that uphold the dignity of all communities and families.
This is a critical moment and opportunity for philanthropy to reaffirm the value, contributions and resilience of immigrants. It is important to note that today’s ruling does not affect the original Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival program, which has benefited nearly 730,000 immigrants nationwide. Philanthropy can continued to support efforts to encourage the hundreds of thousands of eligible immigrants to come forward, including those aging into eligibility and those who could qualify once they meet the educational requirements.
In spite of this temporary setback, we join other stakeholders in the public and private sectors, to raise our voices in support of the longer-term challenge of reforming our nation’s immigration system. Philanthropic, public and private institutions can invest in efforts to bring about policy change and in programs that facilitate immigrants’ social, economic and civic integration. Only by addressing both the immediate needs and the long-term challenges can we ensure the future vitality and diversity of our region.
