Planned Parenthood Arizona Celebrates Supreme Court’s decision to protect DACA
For Immediate Release: June 18, 2020
PRESS STATEMENT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PHOENIX – Today the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle DACA, the highly successful program that provides authorization to work to at least 700,000 young immigrants, including nearly 24,000 in Arizona, and a deferral from deportation. Planned Parenthood Arizona welcomed the ruling and congratulated all those who worked tirelessly for this victory — including immigrant youth, families, and advocates like the Home is Here coalition, which represents over 100 organizations.
Statement from Lola Bovell, Vice President of External Affairs, Planned Parenthood Arizona:
“Today’s Supreme Court decision acknowledging the legality and constitutionality of DACA is a huge victory and a testament to the power of immigrant youth. This is deeply personal for many of our patients, supporters and staff, and we stand with them and the thousands of other young immigrants who will rest a little easier tonight knowing that Arizona is still their home. Planned Parenthood Arizona is proud to serve everyone, regardless of their immigration status, and will continue to tirelessly defend the right to access quality, affordable health care.
“While this decision will give needed relief to hundreds of thousands of immigrant youth, we must remember that DACA doesn’t protect everyone. For immigrants and Black Americans, there is no real reproductive freedom unless they have the freedom to live without fear of violence, deportation, and persecution. The only way the undocumented community can live freely is when our national, state, and local governments defund law enforcement agencies and instead invest in the resources that our communities need, like health care and public education.”
Black immigrants are particularly vulnerable to being arrested and deported. Given recent reports that ICE has been dispatched to protests for Black lives, further protections are needed for immigrant and Black communities. Planned Parenthood Arizona is committed to identifying and advocating for these stronger protections in collaboration with community allies
Amidst a public health crisis and a global reckoning on racial injustice, the last thing immigrant communities should worry about is the threat of deportations. As a next step, Congress must act now and pass the Dream & Promise Act (H.R.6), which was already passed by the House of Representatives with overwhelming, bipartisan support. Congress should also ensure that automatic work permit renewals are part of any congressional solution, like the Heroes Act. While the courts have provided a welcome reprieve from the Trump administration’s illegal decision to terminate DACA, only Congress can provide permanent protections for young immigrants.
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Planned Parenthood Arizona promotes and protects every person's freedom and right to enjoy sexual health and well-being, to make reproductive choices, and build healthy, strong families. We have been providing sexual health care to Arizonans for over 80 years. We currently operate seven health centers across the state, five in the greater Phoenix area. Our organization also provides comprehensive fact-based sexuality education including workplace education programs that promote acceptance, diversity, and inclusion, and operates advocacy and outreach programs that provide opportunities for individuals to get involved in current issues related to our mission.
For more information about Planned Parenthood Arizona visit our website https://www.plannedparenthood.org/planned-parenthood-arizona.
Contact
Planned Parenthood Arizona Media Office, [email protected]
Published
June 18, 2020