ATLANTA — This week, a federal court is set to decide the fate of hundreds of thousands of undocumented young people living and working in the United States.
There has been vocal opposition from local lawmakers, faith leaders and immigration rights groups.
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Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), a program established in 2012, will face a crucial hearing this Thursday in New Orleans.
Court battles also continue over the new “Keeping Families Together,” rule, which allows spouses of U.S. citizens to remain in the country.
Immigration advocates, including Democrat U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson, have spoken up about these programs, emphasizing the importance of keeping undocumented children and spouses in the U.S. to prevent the separation of families.
“In its prior rulings indicate its preference for mass deportation and family separation. We cannot stand by while this happens,” Johnson said, criticizing the judges on the 5th Circuit for their perceived hostility towards immigration.
Channel 2′s Steve Gehlbach reported from the Latin American Association in DeKalb County, where its CEO, Santiago Marquez, called on Congress to take action, regardless of this week’s ruling.
“Common sense immigration reform is essential to making sure all immigrants in our country who follow the right steps to get legal status are able to continue living here without uncertainty or fear,” Marquez said.
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DACA recipients, also known as Dreamers, total around 17,000 in Georgia. Some shared their experiences during the gathering.
Salma Vizcaino Garcia, who was brought to Atlanta as an infant 25 years ago from Mexico and is now pursuing a career in pediatrics, urged for a future without fear of deportation.
“I can attest to the burden an insecure citizenship status has on my mental health. It’s past time to give us peace of mind and our hardworking neighbors and community members,” Vizcaino Garcia said.
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