Mitch Perry
Tuesday, May 19, was to be the day when undocumented parents of U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents could begin applying for temporary deportation relief and work authorization under a new deferred action program known as DAPA (Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents).
It was announced by President Barack Obama in November as part of his executive actions on immigration, when he also announced an expansion of DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program), which he initially announced in 2012.
The program, though, was delayed after a federal judge in Texas issued a temporary injunction in February, leaving about 3.7 million potential applicants in limbo. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott filed the lawsuit, joined by a number of states including Florida.
Instead of applying, activists across the nation are holding a rallies. In Florida, the Service Employees International Union has urged its members statewide to ask their county commissioners in nine of the largest counties to pass resolutions in favor of immigrant families. In a member email, the SEIU wants them to tweet their county commission chair or county mayor in Miami-Dade, Leon, Palm Beach, Broward, Polk, Hillsborough, Brevard, Duval, as well as Mayor Buddy Dyer in Orlando, to ask whether they support either DAPA or DACA.
“Today, #DAPA was to be implemented. But due to @AGPamBondi‘s lawsuit, 253k immigrant are still waiting #Fight4DAPA #Florida #DropTheLawsuit,” is a sample tweet that SEIU officials are advocating for their members to send local officials. In Hillsborough, Board Chairwoman Sandy Murman has been chosen to receive such messages.
The liberal Center for American Progress issued a report Tuesday boasting about the economic benefits of implementing DAPA. The think tank reports that DAPA would lead to an $88 billion increase in income for all Americans, and create 20,538 jobs per year for the next 10 years.
In South Florida, the Florida Immigrant Coalition was organizing presentations to be made Tuesday morning at both the Miami-Dade and Broward County Commission meetings. There is also a vigil and Rally to Stop Deportations scheduled for 6 p.m. at the Broward Transitional Center in Pompano Beach.
