Washington, D.C. – Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet issued the following statement on the four-year anniversary of the 2012 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program that provides deportation relief for individuals who were brought to this country as children and know no other country but the United States. The anniversary of DACA comes as the U.S. Supreme Court is set to rule on the expansion of DACA and the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DACA) programs.
“Deferred action has allowed more than 16,000 young people in Colorado to focus on working hard in school and preparing for their futures instead of living in fear that they may be deported to a country they’ve never known. It offers them relief and certainty to pursue opportunities that would not otherwise have been available, allowing them to make greater contributions to our economy.
“As we await a ruling by the Supreme Court on the expansion of the DACA and DAPA programs, we’re also reminded that Congress has failed to fix our broken immigration system. Fixing the flaws in our immigration system will strengthen our economy and our families. Until then, our borders remain less secure, our visa system keeps us less competitive, our economy suffers, and millions of families remain in the shadows. Congress should put politics aside and fix this broken system.”