A message from our Executive Director, Liz Dunbar:
Today, the Trump Administration made the heartbreaking and disastrous decision to terminate the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, effective March 5, 2018. Here at Tacoma Community House, we are appalled but not surprised at this dreaded announcement.
Since the inception of DACA in 2012, TCH has helped more than 300 young people gain DACA status so they can continue their education, help support their families and pursue their dreams. Now their contributions and dreams are threatened and at risk. Imagine the burden of pending deportation at the forefront of your daily life.
Like many other organizations, businesses and faith communities, we urge Congress to pass the DREAM Act (S.1615/H.R.3440) to protect DREAMers and all DACA recipients. In the meantime, TCH stands ready to help DACA recipients in whatever ways we can.
We will prioritize appointments for those who need to renew their DACA before it expires March 5th. We urge anyone with DACA whose permit expires in the next six months to contact an immigration attorney or accredited immigration specialist as soon as possible (TCH has six accredited immigration specialists). See this Northwest Immigrant Rights Project Advisory: https://www.nwirp.org/…/uploads/2017/09/DACA-Community-Advi…
We also encourage young people and their families to attend community forums on DACA and what happens next: Sept. 16th at Highline College and Sept. 18th at Cleveland High School. More sessions will be scheduled in the coming days. Check this link for the details: https://www.nwirp.org/options-after-daca-community-forums/
Again, we are dismayed at this decision but we stand with DREAMers to fight for their rights in the United States, which is their country, too.
Tacoma Community House stands with immigrants and refugees. We urge you to stand with them as well.
