Issue: When President Trump announced his plan to roll back protections for over 700,000 young immigrants granted protected status by President Obama’s deferred deportation program, he struck fear into the hearts of every immigrant who knows what it means to live in the shadows.

 

Instead of standing up for our values, Democrats in Congress have been content to work with the leftovers of the Republican party’s nationalist agenda, desperately trying to negotiate with the White House to save DACA, instead of putting forward a vision for comprehensive immigration reform. There are 11 million undocumented immigrants contributing to communities across the country, and we will not make meaningful progress towards improving the quality of life of all Americans until we elect a Congress committed to creating a permanent pathway to citizenship.

 

Proposal: This is an issue on which we can no longer afford to compromise, because DACA was the compromise. Making deals that empower a destructive administration should not be part of the Democratic platform. This appears obvious to everyone but our Congressional leadership, who fail to realize that their complicity at this pivotal moment will not be forgotten. Now is the time to stand in solidarity and organize to elect a Congress and President who will pass legislation to protect all immigrants, instead of conceding to Trump and furthering a divisive “good immigrant/bad immigrant” narrative.

 

There is no question that we need to save DACA, but as long as Republicans are in power any deal that does so will come at the cost of the security of millions of undocumented immigrants. Saving DACA is a start, but doubling down on a stop-gap solution is not sustainable. In reality, the answer is quite simple: we need comprehensive reform that grants citizenship to those who already contribute so much to our economy and communities, and creates a pathway to citizenship for ALL people who wish to live, work, and build families in the United States.