Jayapal Statement on Fifth Circuit Court Decision on DACA

SEATTLE, WA - U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Ranking Member of the Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee, issued the following statement regarding the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit decision on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program:

"The truth about DACA - the reason that Republicans have challenged it in the courts at every turn - is because it works for our country. It has allowed hundreds of thousands of Dreamers to come out of the shadows and pursue higher education, start careers, and live freely in the only country that most of them have ever known.

"Today, the Fifth Circuit has again reminded us how DACA recipients are living in limbo. This comes at a time when the incoming Trump Administration is pushing legislation to open a highway to mass deportation, further threatening their existence in this country."

There are 535,000 DACA recipients living in the United States and there are over 3 million Dreamers, many of whom have not been able to apply for DACA because of this ongoing legal challenge. Congressional action to provide legal status for Dreamers is estimated to add $400 billion to the economy over the next 10 years. Texas v. USA, the current case that will determine the legality of the program, is expected to go before the Supreme Court for a final decision.

Issues: Immigration