For Immediate Release
February 17, 2015
Contact: Emily Kessel, eakessel@nakasec.org
NAKASEC and Affiliates Condemn the Brownsville Decision Affecting the Lives of Hardworking Immigrants
Undeterred by the political attacks, NAKASEC and its affiliates continue to prepare for new immigration programs and will fight on for a path to citizenship
WASHINGTON DC — On Monday, February 16, U.S. District Court Judge Andrew Hanen of Brownsville, Texas, who has previously expressed anti-immigrant views, issued a preliminary injunction that temporarily blocks the implementation process of the expanded Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and new Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) programs that President Obama announced in November 2014. The National Korean American Service and Education Consortium (NAKASEC) and its affiliates, the Korean Resource Center (KRC) in Los Angeles and Orange County and the Korean American Resource and Cultural Center (KRCC) in Chicago, express their extreme disappointment in the judge’s decision to push back the start date for millions of young immigrants and parents, including nearly 48,600 newly eligible individuals from the Korean American community, to come forward, apply, and live without fear under the expanded DACA program, which is planned to begin as soon as February 18, 2015 for DREAMers.
Below is a joint statement by Dae Joong Yoon (DJ), executive director of NAKASEC, Hee Joo Yoon, executive director of KRC, and Inhe Choi, executive director of KRCC:
“The recent ruling is simply a waste of time, trying to confuse and scare immigrants. We believe that the Fifth Court of Appeals will soon take up this case and overturn the decision of the Brownsville federal judge’s unjust ruling. More than 230 legal scholars and public officials, including 100 constitutional legal scholars, dozens of mayors of our nation’s largest cities, 13 state attorney generals, and a coalition of law enforcement professionals have all publicly stated that not only are the President’s executive actions on immigration legally sound, they are the right thing to do for all communities across the nation. We are disappointed by this shameful political play against our immigrant communities at a time when we should be preparing to help the five million immigrants who have been waiting to work legally to support their families and contribute to this country they call home. This may be just the first round in a long, drawn out legal process, but we are confident that the court system will eventually reject this meritless lawsuit that only wastes valuable time and taxpayer dollars. NAKASEC, KRC, and KRCC will continue to help community members apply for the original DACA program, which will continue to be carried out as it was announced on June 15, 2012, and prepare for the new deferred action programs as we await the Fifth Court’s appeal of the Brownsville judge’s ruling.”
It is clear that President Obama has the long-standing legal authority to use this executive power to protect immigrant families and he is not the first to do so. Throughout history, numerous presidents have addressed the difficulties of immigrants through executive action. Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush took bold executive action on immigration to provide millions of people with relief from deportation.
The states listed as plaintiffs in the case: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
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The National Korean American Service & Education Consortium (NAKASEC) was founded in 1994 by local community centers to project a progressive voice and promote the full participation of Korean Americans on major social justice issues. NAKASEC maintains offices in Annandale, Virginia and Los Angeles, California. NAKASEC has affiliates in Chicago (Korean American Resource & Cultural Center) and Los Angeles and Orange County (Korean Resource Center).
