WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) joined her Democratic Senate colleagues in sending a letter to Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem demanding that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) correct recent misleading statements about Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients and make it clear that they’re protected from deportation. The senators stressed that DHS must accurately reflect existing law and court rulings, and ensure that DACA recipients are not wrongfully targeted for removal.
“In a recent statement, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin said: ‘Illegal aliens who claim to be recipients of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) are not automatically protected from deportation,’” said the Senators. “In contrast to Ms. McLaughlin’s puzzling statement, public DHS guidance makes clear that DACA holders are ‘not considered to be unlawfully present’ in the United States and that ‘[a]n individual who has received deferred action is authorized by DHS to be in the United States for the duration of the deferred action period.’”
“We urge you to correct Assistant Secretary McLaughlin’s statement to accurately reflect DACA and ensure that DHS recognizes and abides by the protections of DACA moving forward,” they concluded. “Recent enforcement actions against DACA recipients not only appear to violate the Fifth Circuit stay, but also disrupt families, harm communities, and inflict unnecessary social, emotional, and economic costs.
The full text of the letter is available HERE.
Senator Rosen has been a consistent advocate for Dreamers and comprehensive immigration reform. In June, she joined Democratic colleagues in calling for the resumption of new DACA applications in the wake of a favorable circuit court ruling. Just days later, she took to the Senate floor for the 13th anniversary of DACA, forcefully denouncing the Trump Administration’s attacks on Dreamers and urging passage of permanent protections. Senator Rosen also helped lead the introduction of the Protect DREAMer Confidentiality Act, a bipartisan bill to prevent DHS from misusing sensitive data from current and prospective DACA recipients. These efforts underscore her unwavering commitment to ensuring DHS upholds the law, protects immigrant communities, and upholds the values of fairness and compassion.
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