CWS affirms importance of DAPA and DACA, urges Administration to go further


May 27, 2015

Washington – Church World Service responded with disappointment to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals’ denial of the Obama Administration’s stay request. The stay would have allowed the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents and expanded Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals executive actions to be implemented, which have been on hold due to a Texas federal district court’s preliminary injunction.

“The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has decided to delay justice,” said the Rev. John L. McCullough, CWS President and CEO. “The egregious lawsuit filed by Texas Governor Greg Abbott and other politicians has put partisanship above people, and it will see defeat in the end. Until that day, people of faith and good conscience will continue to work alongside immigrant communities to see that DAPA and expanded DACA are able to make a difference in the lives of our community members.”

CWS and other faith-based organizations filed an amicus brief in support of the Obama Administration’s executive actions on immigration with the Fifth Circuit.

To view the groups’ legal brief in full, see http://tiny.cc/faith-amicus-brief.

“We stand for families; we stand for the American dream; and we call on the administration to continue to appeal this lawsuit,” McCullough said. “In the meantime, we also urge the administration to fully implement the executive actions that are not impacted by the court’s decision. The president’s responsibility to immigrant communities is not contingent on DAPA, DACA or any court. He can and should halt deportations and ensure that prosecutorial discretion is implemented broadly and inclusively.”