October 11, 2024 - WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Thursday, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, and Border Safety, issued the following statement as oral arguments were heard in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in the Texas v. United States case on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program:

“Dreamers are integral members of our communities and culture, working essential jobs, contributing billions to our economy, and keeping our families safe. They do all this despite not knowing what their future holds. Today is yet another reminder of the fear and uncertainty caused by these obstructive lawsuits.

“It’s past time for my Republican colleagues in Congress to join us in passing legislation to provide permanent protections for Dreamers. Failing to act now would deprive these young Americans of the American Dream and deprive us all of the benefits they bring to our country.”

Senator Padilla is a leading voice in Congress for immigration reform. To commemorate the 12th anniversary of DACA, Padilla joined immigration advocates, DACA recipients, and other lawmakers to urge Congress to pass a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers and call on President Biden to protect Dreamers and long-term undocumented communities through executive action. He previously joined his Senate colleagues and directly impacted immigrant youth leaders for a press conference calling on Republicans in Congress to work with Democrats to pass permanent protections for DACA recipients after the 5th Circuit’s 2022 ruling.

Padilla continues to fight relentlessly to expand pathways to citizenship for millions of long-term U.S. residents. His bill, the Renewing Immigration Provisions of the Immigration Act of 1929, would update the existing Registry statute so that an immigrant may be eligible for lawful permanent resident status if they meet certain conditions, providing a much-needed pathway to a green card for more than 8 million people, including Dreamers, TPS holders, children of long-term visa holders, essential workers, and highly skilled members of our workforce. Padilla also recently celebrated President Biden’s executive actions to protect certain noncitizen spouses and children of U.S. citizens from deportation and ease certain DACA recipients’ ability to be employed in the United States following his advocacy. He previously introduced the Citizenship for Essential Workers Act, which would create a pathway to citizenship for undocumented essential workers, including Dreamers, as his first bill in Congress.
Source: Senator Alex Padilla