The San Diego City Council Tuesday unanimously approved a resolution supporting programs that defer deportations of undocumented children and parents under certain conditions, and calling on Congress to enact more permanent solutions.
Backers of the federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals and Deferred Action for Parents of Americans programs told the council members that they prevent the separation of families — in instances where a father, mother or child is caught by immigration authorities and deported.
An expansion of DACA and implementation of DAPA have been held up by a lawsuit filed by 26 states that contend President Barack Obama overstepped his authority. Also, Congress has not enacted comprehensive immigration reform despite numerous calls for an overhaul of the system.
DACA allows undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. in their youth to remain in this country for two years if they’re in school or graduated, or an armed forces veteran, and have been law-abiding. The program includes certain time frames and age requirements that must be met.
DAPA allows undocumented parents to remain in the U.S. temporarily if their children are citizens or lawful permanent residents.
“These programs, although temporary, are a solution to keeping families together,” said Christian Ramirez, a member of the San Diego Immigrant Rights Consortium who helped draft the resolution.
“These folks are the folks we pray with, who we play sports with, they are loved ones, our neighbors. These are the people who make our city America’s finest.”
The resolution notes that San Diego is a diverse city with immigrants and refugees from many parts of the world, and that families should be allowed to stay together.
It concludes, “Be it resolved, that the council of the city of San Diego supports deferred action for childhood arrivals and parents of American citizens and legal permanent residents, and strongly urges the 114th U.S. Congress to immediately enact legislation which would present a more permanent solution.”
— City News Service
