SAN ANTONIO – Pedro Martinez, superintendent of the San Antonio Independent School District, released a statement Thursday morning on DACA and the decision by President Donald Trump to rescind an immigration order shielding some children of undocumented immigrants from deportation.
In his statement, he urged Congress to come together and to approve a path of citizenship for immigrants brought to the country as children.
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He said DACA specifically has opened doors for undocumented children, leading to a stronger economy for everyone.
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The U.S Citizen and Immigration Services website now states only pending applications will be considered on a case-by case basis. But even if they’re granted, the program is set to expire in six months, unless Congress acts or President Trump changes his mind.
The changes to DACA are expected to impact more than 800,000 people nationwide.
You can read the superintendent's full statement below:
We urge Congress to come together to quickly approve a path to citizenship for immigrants brought to our country as children. DACA has opened doors for undocumented youth, leading to a stronger economy for everyone. In San Antonio, we have high school graduates contributing to the workforce, the community and the country they call home.
Many undocumented students exhibit exemplary perseverance, work ethic and leadership, and by law, they have a right to a free public K-12 education. Yet undocumented students represent one of the most vulnerable groups served by schools in the United States today.
Right now in our District, we have students applying to college and preparing for their future—a future, which is now more uncertain. We are committed to increasing the support and resources necessary for them to graduate high school and to have a clear understanding on how to access higher education as an undocumented student.
We urge Congress to do the same. Let us not compromise the success of our economy with a rollback of DACA.
