Most Reverend José H.rnGomez
Archbishop of LosrnAngeles
February 26, 2018
The U.S. SupremernCourt’s decision this morning on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivalsrn(DACA) program does not change anything.
Congress has thernresponsibility to make immigration policy. It is long past time for members ofrnCongress to take their responsibilities seriously — seriously enough that theyrnare willing to act with courage to negotiate and seek compromises and resistrnthe temptation to keep using this issue for their political advantage.
People’s lives andrnfamilies’ futures hang in the balance. Now is the time to pass legislation thatrnenables the Dreamers to become citizens and full contributing members of ourrnsociety.
This is the first step tornfixing our broken immigration system. We also need measures that will enhancernthe security and safety of our communities and reform our visa system. Thesernmatters can and should be dealt with by Congress.
But what is urgentrnright now is for Congress to take action to protect the Dreamers. Without it,rnthese young people will lose their permission to work in this country and facerndeportation. This is wrong and it is up to Congress to make it right.
I am urging the Catholicrnfamily here in Los Angeles to join our brothers and sisters across therncountry in the U.S. Bishops’ National Call-In Day to Protect Dreamers,rnwhich is scheduled for today.
Irnurge everyone to call 1-885-589-5698 to tell your Senators and Representativesrnto do the right thing — protect the Dreamers and fix our broken immigrationrnsystem.
