A young immigrant New Yorker and Make the Road New York (MRNY) went to federal court today to challenge the Trump administration’s termination of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. In a lawsuit brought in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, Martín Batalla Vidal, a DACA recipient, and MRNY are asking permission to amend their original complaint in order to argue that President Trump’s actions violate federal law and the equal protection guarantee of the Constitution.
By National Immigration Law Center
NEW YORK — The case, Batalla Vidal v. Baran, et al, was originally filed on behalf of Batalla Vidal and MRNY in 2016 challenging the court decision in United States v. Texas that blocked Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) and the expansion of DACA from going into effect. Batalla Vidal and MRNY are represented by Make the Road New York, the National Immigration Law Center, and the Worker and Immigrant Rights Advocacy Clinic at Yale Law School.
Nearly 800,000 young people now have DACA. They have provided personal and confidential information to the U.S. government and gone through a rigorous application process and background check which has allowed them to receive a two-year work permit and relief from deportation.
In the more than five years since DACA was first implemented, the program has been a resounding success. According to a recent survey, 91 percent of DACA recipients are currently employed, and their average earnings have increased during the time that DACA has been in place.
The benefits of DACA extend beyond the recipients themselves. Nearly three quarters of all DACA recipients have a U.S. citizen spouse, sibling, or child. Terminating the program would create emotional and economic harm for these family members as well.
Continue reading about Batalla Vidal’s family by clicking here.
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