Alexandria, Va. – Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA) issued the following statement in response to the administration’s decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program:
“Catholic Charities USA is devastated by the administration’s shameful and cruel decision to end the DACA program. The DACA program has offered protection and opportunity to nearly 800,000 young people who were mere children when they were brought to this country for a chance at a better life. As it has done for more than 100 years, CCUSA will continue to support and advocate on behalf of persons regardless of immigration status.
“DACA recipients have contributed in many ways to our country: some have served proudly in the U.S. military, others have become leaders in local communities and others have built careers and families. Their world will now be turned upside down as this decision means their ability to work and contribute fully to society will come to an end. Hundreds of thousands of people – moms, dads, brothers, sisters, sons and daughters – will now live in fear of deportation, potentially forced to leave their families and return to a country they have likely never called home.
“This should not be a political issue, but rather is a profoundly moral and human issue which challenges what this country stands for. CCUSA therefore urges Congress to act now on a legislative solution which protects those protected by DACA so that they can live without fear of deportation and contribute fully to our nation, communities and their families.”
The individuals affected by this decision are all children of God. The Catholic Charities ministry joins the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in calling for meaningful and compassionate immigration legislation.
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