May 27, 2015 - LATINO LEADERSHIP DECRIES FIFTH CIRCUIT DECISION DENYING STAY ON ORDER PREVENTING IMPLEMENTATION OF DEFERRED ACTION PROGRAMS

FOR IMMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION
May 27, 2015

LATINO LEADERSHIP DECRIES FIFTH CIRCUIT DECISION DENYING STAY ON ORDER PREVENTING IMPLEMENTATION OF DEFERRED ACTION PROGRAMS

Decision further delays necessary initiative to exercise prosecutorial discretion to allow millions to apply for work authorization and protection from deportation

Washington, DC -- The National Hispanic Leadership Agenda (NHLA), a coalition of 39 of the nation's preeminent Latino organizations, released the following statement in response to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit's denial of an emergency stay in Texas v. United States:

"We share in the frustration of yesterday's decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. The Fifth Circuit panel majority has erred in its judgment and analysis of the injury created by their decision. The court has added an unnecessary delay in keeping families whole. We hold strong optimism that the court will ultimately find legal precedent, previously set by Presidents of both parties of the President's Deferred Action," said Hector Sanchez, Chair of NHLA and Executive Director of the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement.

"This decision is an unfortunate, but temporary, further delay in the implementation of needed and reasonable programs to effectuate the executive branch's well-established right to exercise prosecutorial discretion through grants of deferred action," stated Thomas A. Saenz, newly-elected Vice Chair of NHLA and MALDEF President and General Counsel. "The dissenting judge plainly has the superior reasoning as to the legal and practical issues involved, and we are confident that ultimately the authority to adopt effective programs to ensure uniformity and fairness in following established enforcement priorities across a very large and dispersed agency will be vindicated."

"The Hispanic Federation is extremely disappointed but not deterred by the decision of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit yesterday to leave in place an injunction by a Texas court halting President Obama's executive actions on immigration," stated José Calderón, Co-Chair of NHLA's Task Force on Immigration and President of the Hispanic Federation. "President Obama's executive action is both legal and constitutional, and we remain confident it will go into effect, despite these short-sighted and unjust efforts to derail it. In the meantime, however, we understand that immigrant families and communities across the nation are hurting. We stand in solidarity with them and the many groups we work with to maintain the basic dignity and respect immigrants deserve. It bears emphasizing that the Court of Appeal's decision will not stop the movement for immigrant justice. Instead, it has reinforced our resolve to fight even harder for broad and progressive immigration reform so that immigrant families across the United States are treated fairly, humanely, and have an opportunity to continue to strengthen our nation."

###

Established in 1991, the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda (NHLA) brings together Hispanic leaders to establish policy priorities that address, and raise public awareness of, the major issues affecting the Latino community and the nation as a whole. In 2013, NHLA launched the Latinos United for Immigration Reform campaign. For more information, please visit www.nationalhispanicleadership.org and LatinosUnited.org and follow @NHLAgenda.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:

NHLA Mission

Latest News

Press Releases