LULAC SAYS JUSTICE FOR WAITING DACA RECIPIENTS IS LONG OVERDUE AHEAD OF THURSDAY'S 5TH CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS HEARING

Nation's Oldest and Largest Latino Civil Rights Organization Stands with MALDEF in the Legal Fight Against the State of Texas Which Wants the Program Ended

Washington, D.C. – The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) says it is in strong solidarity with the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) in their ongoing legal fight to protect Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients, many of whom have lived in legal limbo for over a decade. As the nation watches the next chapter of this critical legal battle unfold before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, LULAC urges the court to recognize the tremendous contributions these young people make to our communities and ensure their ability to live and work without fear.

On October 10, 2024, attorneys from MALDEF, the State of New Jersey, the U.S. Department of Justice, and the State of Texas will present oral arguments in New Orleans. The hearing is crucial in the fight to protect DACA recipients following a September 2023 ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Andrew S. Hanen that declared DACA unlawful. The case was returned to Hanen after the Fifth Circuit reviewed a 2022 Biden administration regulation formalizing DACA. While current DACA recipients can continue to renew their status, first-time applicants remain barred from applying.

"LULAC supports MALDEF on both a humanitarian and economic level," says Roman Palomares, LULAC National President and Chairman of the Board. "We have known for years the heavy toll that living in limbo has had on tens of thousands of DACA recipients. From a human standpoint, it is a tragedy of our times to see how a nation built upon a historical tradition of immigrants has turned its back on men and women whose only crime was holding on to their mother or father's hand as children. It is inconceivable how they have been treated."

MALDEF represents DACA recipients who have intervened in the case, appealing Judge Hanen's ruling that DACA violates the Administrative Procedure Act.

The Fifth Circuit panel will now determine whether Texas has standing to challenge the program, whether the Biden administration's regulation is lawful, and whether the lower court's nationwide injunction against DACA was proper.

"Living as a DACA recipient, not a day passes that I do not think about how my life could be so different if I had a permanent sense of security in my country, the only country I know," says Jose Barrera, LULAC National Vice President for the Far West. "Others who, like me, are DACA recipients try to live their lives the best they can every day, but you can't help but feel forgotten when year after year, Congress and our elected leaders fail to resolve this issue. Our lives cannot be kept on hold forever."

The economic impact of DACA recipients is profound. Research from the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy shows that nearly 91% of DACA recipients ages 25 and older are employed. Over the years, their wages have risen significantly, from an average of $11.92 per hour in 2015 to $28.27 in 2022—a 137% increase. They contribute more than $2.1 billion annually to Social Security and Medicare and an estimated $1.7 billion to state and local taxes. Codifying DACA into law could boost state and local revenues by $815 million while repealing the program could result in a $700 million loss in revenue.

"The vast majority of DACA recipients have shown through the lives they are living that they are more than worthy of being treated as Americans, and LULAC will never abandon them," says Palomares. "We urge the Fifth Circuit panel to do the right thing and deny Texas the ability to impede the future of promising men and women across our country."

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About League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC)

The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is the nation's oldest and largest Latino civil rights organization. Founded in 1929, LULAC is committed to advancing the rights and opportunities of Latino Americans through advocacy, community building, and education. With a growing network of councils nationwide, LULAC remains steadfast in its mission to protect and empower millions of Latinos, contributing daily to America's prosperity. For more information about LULAC and its initiatives, please visit https://lulac.org/.