The Uptake: Children At Core Of Immigration Case Says Coalition

(April 20, 2016 – The Uptake – by Michael McIntee)

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A coalition of Minnesota groups opposed to ending a program to shield undocumented workers from deportation says you should consider the children.

“Every day I leave my house with a bit of fear that I might not come back to my house to see my kids,” Maria Ambriz said through an interpreter.

“I’m here to ask those that have the power, those that are making the decisions that they understand that they understand that my children here as citizens and they deserve to live as other citizens.”

About 700,000 young people between the ages of 15 and 30 are protected from being deported even though their parents are undocumented immigrants. Texas and 25 other states want to stop the Obama administration from giving parents the same protection as it does the children.

Their argument asks the U.S. Supreme court to uphold a lower court ruling that says the President Obama overstepped his authority when he instituted the “Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents,” or DAPA program, in November 2014. Obama issued the DAPA order after congress failed to act on immigration reform even though about 70% of the Senate favored action.

“Deportation, when it does occur, has serious adverse effects on families including a permanent change in family structure and in extreme cases family dissolution,” said Jason Adkins of the Minnesota Catholic Conference. In 2011 before DAPA was in place, more than 5,100 US citizen children were living in foster care after a parent’s deportation or detention.

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