April 18 Press Conference in Fresno in Support of the Executive Action on Immigration

The Central Valley Immigrant Integration Collaborative (CVIIC), the Fresno Immigration Coalition, Mi Familia Vota and other community based organizations, non-profit organizations, labor unions and community leaders will hold a press conference in downtown Fresno to express support for the Executive Action on Immigration and to call upon the Supreme Court to permit its implementation as soon as possible.

The event will take place at 11 AM at the Robert E. Coyle Federal Building. The address is 2500 Tulare St., Fresno, CA.

The Executive Action on Immigration was announced by President Barack Obama on November 20, 2014. It included two important programs, Extended DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) and DAPA (Deferred Action for Parental Accountability or Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents), which would provide temporary relief to millions of immigrants, including many in Fresno and nearby Central Valley counties.

The implementation of Extended DACA and DAPA was suspended by a lawsuit filed in a federal district court by the state of Texas and other opponents of the Executive Action on Immigration. The Supreme Court has agreed to review the case and it will begin to hear arguments on April 18. A decision by the Supreme Court is expected by June 2016.

It is important to point out that the regular DACA program, announced on June 15, 2012, is unaffected by the lawsuit and continues to receive applications from first time applicants and renewal applicants. Some 700,000 people have applied for the regular DACA program nationwide. CVIIC and many local partner organizations are actively involved offering free DACA application assistance in the Central Valley.

The April 18 press conference in Fresno will serve to call attention to the many ways in which Extended DACA and DAPA will benefit the nation and the Central Valley in particular.

Some of the Potential Benefits of the Executive Action on Immigration

Different sources estimate that as many as 5 million people would be potential beneficiaries.

Extended DACA and DAPA offer three major benefits: protection from deportation for three years; a social security number; a work permit valid for three years.

According to the Migration Policy Institute, some 3.6 million people would benefit from DAPA. In addition, the potentially DAPA eligible are well settled with strong U.S. roots, with 69 percent having lived in the United States ten years or more, and 25 percent at least 20 years.

The Migration Policy Institute further proposes that the average DAPA family income would be increased by 10%.

How Extended DACA and DAPA Can Benefit the Central Valley

Central Valley immigrant families stand to gain from the implementation of the Executive Action on Immigration.

The Extended DACA and DAPA programs will strengthen family unity and provide greater emotional and legal security.

The Central Valley economy, and employers in particular, will be better able to benefit from the contributions of a more stable labor force than can also deploy more effectively its talents and skills.

Estimates by the Migration Policy Institute and other researchers for the potential number of beneficiaries per county may be as follows:

Fresno County: 38,000

Kern County: 35,000

Madera County: 7,000

Merced County: 14,000

San Joaquin County: 31,000

Stanislaus County: 20,000

Tulare County: 24,000