Seattle Pride Board Member Responds to July 16th DACA Ruling

Background

A federal judge in Texas on Friday, July 16th ruled that Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, the Obama-era program shielding certain undocumented immigrants from deportation, is illegal and blocked new applicants.

The ruling from Judge Andrew Hanen would bar future applications. It does not immediately cancel current permits for hundreds of thousands of people -- though it once again leaves them in devastating legal limbo and is a reminder of the uncertainty they face. (Source: CNN)

Message from Seattle Pride Board Member, Miguel A. Duncan-Galvez Bravo (he/him)

Throughout the last four years, marginalized communities have fought to keep the progress we have made during the Obama Administration towards equality. The Trump administration has forced these marginalized groups to return into the shadows. These groups are: Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC); Undocumented people; Women fighting for their reproductive rights; Members of the LGBTQIA+ communities-especially our BIPOC trans military service members, and the various intersectionalities that makes our incredible country.

On September 5^th, 2017, Jeff Sessions, former US Attorney General briefed the nation on the status of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). “The President has decided to end the Obama-era program that grants work permits to undocumented immigrants who arrived in the country as children.” The fear of potentially being deported, and having our families deported because of a program that was created with the intent of protecting Dreamers was being used as a political tool by his administration. Fortunately, our communities organized, created new strategies, and ultimately, won to keep the program in place.

The fear of losing DACA is a fear that all marginalized groups can comprehend. We all fear that our rights could be terminated through no fault of our own. With a new administration, it became easier for us to breath. Unfortunately, federal Judge Andrew Hanen on Friday blocked roughly 500,000 to 700,000 unauthorized immigrants brought to the U.S. as children from participating in DACA and receiving its deportation protections- claiming that the program is unconstitutional.

As a Seattle Pride board member, I represent the various intersections that make up our community. I am a gay, Latinx immigrant. As much as I love working on opportunities for the communities I represent, I still struggle because of the current laws in our country. I am still a DACA recipient. My husband and I have been married since October 10^th, 2015 and we are still waiting to have our immigration interview scheduled in Ciudad Juarez. The COVID global pandemic has impacted Black and Brown communities at higher rates and has highlighted the injustices of our health system. It re-emphasized that we are all not created equal and we must keep organizing as a community until full equality is achieved.

President Biden has once again called on Congress to pass the American Dream and Promise Act in order to finally provide security to all Dreamers, who have lived too long in fear.

Thank you,
Miguel A. Duncan-Galvez Bravo (he/him)
Seattle Pride Board member