Post by bot on Nov 24, 2015 20:46:10 GMT -5
Hoyer Statement Marking One Year Since the President Announced His Executive Actions on Immigration
WASHINGTON, DC - House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) released the following statement today marking one year since President Obama announced his executive actions creating the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans (DAPA) program and expanding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program:
“Today marks one year since President Obama announced the creation of the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans (DAPA) program and an expanded Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program to help keep immigrant families together. Faced with inaction by the Republican-led Congress, the President took the steps available to him to address a key component of our immigration challenge. His reforms are now, to the detriment to as many as 5 million people and their families, being held up by a politically motivated lawsuit, but I remain confident that our justice system will determine that the President acted within his legal authority.
“If Republicans are serious about addressing the challenges and embracing the opportunities of immigration reform, they would work with Democrats and the White House to advance comprehensive reform through Congress that prevents families from being split apart, creates an earned pathway to citizenship for those who have been living and working here for years, and secures our borders while fixing our legal immigration system. Democrats will continue to fight for such reform and for programs like DAPA and DACA to prevent children from being forcibly separated from their parents. It is very disappointing that Speaker Ryan has said he will not pursue comprehensive immigration reform for the rest of the 114th Congress, and I strongly urge him to reconsider.”