Arlington, VA – Despite an early summer commitment by President Obama to provide relief to immigrant families, latest media reports indicate that the President will – once again – delay his overdue promise to provide relief to hundreds of thousands of families.
Earlier this June, the President stated that he would make a decision by the end of the summer because Congress had failed to solve the immigration crisis.
Subsequent reports indicate that Democratic Members of Congress have pressured the White House to delay until after the elections despite the risk to 1100 people that are deported daily from the United States.
“Delaying relief for families on a misguided perception of electoral necessity only undermines even more the credibility of Washington,” said Gustavo Torres, President of CASA in Action. “Senate Democrats that have urged delay, and the President that has listened, have reduced themselves to the level of Republican indifference to immigrant families and have lost an opportunity to show immigrant voters that there is a difference between the parties.”
On August 28th, CASA de Virginia and CASA de Maryland hosted the largest act of civil disobedience by pro-immigrant activists at the White House in history. One hundred and forty-five people, from labor and faith activities to women’s rights and LGBT leaders, to civil rights leaders, to undocumented moms and dads, took action to pressure President Obama to move immediately to provide relief to workers, parents, and children.
Advocates have urged that the White House take action on four areas of relief critical to the American people. First, immigrants and their allies are calling for the cancellation of enforcement policies like Secure Communities that have created enormous fear in local communities. In support of the sanctity of family, the President should grant visas to the parents of all children living in the United States.
Another major priority is ceasing the deportations of young people facing violence in Central America, practices that have already resulted in the deaths of children. Finally, activists ask the President to recognize the enormous contributions that immigrant workers make to the US economy by providing relief to immigrants currently working, as well as those who have improved the employment conditions of all Americans by challenging illegal work activities.
