June 21, 2020 — Washington, D.C.
The Latino Jewish Leadership Council (LJLC) applauds the Supreme Court decision to uphold the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA). The ruling provides a respite to the hundreds of thousands of young, undocumented men and women (known as Dreamers) who were brought to the U.S. as children and who continue to contribute in crucial ways to our country's prosperity.
As members of Latino and Jewish Diaspora communities we retain full faith in the vitality of the American dream, nourished by the rich diversity and entrepreneurial spirit of the millions of immigrants embraced by this country throughout the decades. It is our hope that this important ruling, a step in the right direction, motivates Congress to promptly enact bipartisan legislation, finally ending the uncertainty surrounding the status of the Dreamers, protecting them from deportation and giving them an opportunity to obtain permanent legal status and ultimately a path to citizenship.
Especially now, as our nation is confronting monumental challenges to its present and future well being with the persistence of the COVID pandemic and its struggle for racial justice, this ruling certainly provides a shimmer of light and hope to the millions awaiting commonsense policies to fix our broken immigration system, many of who are disproportionately affected by the current developments. Welcoming, not penalizing, immigrants is consonant with our nation’s foundational principles, decency and the best traditions that have made America exceptional.
Convened by AJC in January 2017, the LJLC comprises 40 prominent U.S. Jewish and Latino leaders who advocate together on issues of common concern and defend values cherished by both communities. The three priorities for the Council are immigration reform, combating discrimination and bigotry, and foreign policy initiatives linking the U.S., Latin America, and Israel.
The Council recently held its first virtual meeting to take stock of its 2020 initiatives, discuss the impact of COVID-19 on the Latino and Jewish communities across the United States, and joint actions to address evolving domestic and foreign policy challenges.
