FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 20, 2016
Contact:
Emily Kessel, NAKASEC, eakessel@nakasec.org
Nayoung Ha, KRCC, nayoung@chicagokrcc.org
Jinkyung Park, KRC, jinkyung@krcla.org
NAKASEC, KRCC and KRC Outraged about Judge Hanen’s Order Targeting Young Immigrants
WASHINGTON, DC – On May 19, 2016, Judge Andrew Hanen, the Texas federal judge issued a heinous order against the Department of Justice (DOJ) to demand the agency’s attorneys to collect the names, A-numbers, addresses, and other identifying information of 100,000 individuals who qualify for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program created in 2012 but received 3-year employment authorization cards (EADs) valid until June 10, 2016.
The Administration has already taken responsibility for the 2,000 invalid 3-year EADs mistakenly issued post-injunction. 98.9% of the 2,000 have been returned. These hardworking young people were lawfully granted DACA and 3-year EAD between November 21, 2014 and February 16, 2015, prior to Judge Hanen’s injunction blocking Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) and expanded DACA.
NAKASEC’s Executive Director Dae Joong Yoon, KRCC’s Executive Inhe Choi, and KRC’s Los Angeles Director Joon Bang released the following response: “Judge Hanen’s decision to attack DREAMers while the DAPA and expanded DACA case is still awaiting a decision in the Supreme Court is pure madness. This bias and abuse of judicial discretion is unacceptable and a clear attempt to intimidate our families. We ask community members to join us in urging the Department of Justice to protect the privacy of our Dreamers by refusing to honor this order and remove Judge Hanen from the case. It is now more important than ever to ensure that our community’s vote counts this November because the stakes are higher.”
For more information, please click here for a recording of today’s call, hosted by America’s Voice, with legal experts and immigration advocates exploring the case.
