Three associations in defense of undocumented youth who came to the US being minors, known as “dreamers” (dreamers), defended this Friday before a judge of a Court of Appeals in New York the continuity of the program that allows them to stay in the country and that the Trump Government wants to repeal.
“Our country is not governed by tweets dictated from a throne, we live in a democracy that is governed by the rule of law,” insisted one of the lawyers of the cause, Edgar Melgar, referring to the decision-making style of the President Donald Trump.
The associations -Make the Road New York, the National Center for Immigration Legislation and the Clinic in Defense of Workers ‘and Immigrants’ Rights- argued in court that the appellate judge should reject the appeal filed by the Trump Administration to put an end to the Deferred Action Program (DACA).
The DACA was established in 2012 by then President Barack Obama, to regularize the presence of around 800,000 young people who had irregularly entered the country as children.
In February of last year, federal judge Nicholas Garaufis ruled that the government’s decision to end the DACA was illegal and demanded that the Administration continue to protect the young people who benefit from the program.
“Even today when the judge asked the government lawyer to offer an explanation for the termination of DACA, he could not give a clear explanation: Our nation’s laws are: if the government wants to change its policies, it must explain its reasoning to the public in a clear way, “denounced Melgar on the stairs that access the Court.
These three associations represent the New York State plaintiffs who, in conjunction with 18 other states, filed legal appeals against the Trump Administration’s decision to terminate the program.
On behalf of the National Center for Immigration Legislation, attorney Mayra Joachin spoke and accused the Republican government of causing “almost their lives to fall into chaos.”
Although the judicial decision will take several months, the plaintiffs relied on the judge to support their position, as other rulings have done in Washington and Texas courts.
Eliana Fernández, of Make the Road New York, confessed “very happy” to be able to defend her situation and that of other young “dreamers” who could lose their work and residence permits to repeal the DACA.
“We have been fighting for almost two years and we want to insist on the importance of keeping the program open, since it has a great impact on the community, it means a lot,” said the activist when speaking to the media.
“We are here to protect and defend the DACA and to remember that our lives are leaning into the abyss,” said Fernandez, who urged the US Congress. to “do their job and find a permanent solution” to the irregular situation of these young people who have grown up in the country.
The complete integration of the beneficiaries of this program, as well as the defense of their dignity, were some of the arguments presented before the judge by the activists.
“This government must adhere to the same rules that previous administrations have followed and to which future administrations will continue to adhere,” said Melgar in Spanish.
In a statement sent to the media, New York Attorney General Letitia James praised the work of her department, which is part of the coalition opposed to ending this program.
“Approximately 42,000 New Yorkers have benefited from DACA,” said James, who estimated the dreamers’ taxes at 140 million.
“An attack on DACA is an attack on the values ​​that have always made our country great,” he said.
On the other hand, and once confirmed today an agreement for the reopening of the Government after 35 days of partial closure, the Make the Road association was pleased that the agreement does not include financing for the construction of a wall on the southern border of the USA. .US. with Mexico or for the forces of order that “terrorize border communities and immigrants.”
In one of President Trump’s proposals to the Democrats to reopen 25% of the paralyzed Administration, the Republican offered to extend the validity of the DACA and allow the “dreamers” to stay in the country in exchange for accepting to finance with 5,700 million dollars. dollars the construction of said wall.
