WASHINGTON — Chanting “We are the immigrants,” demonstrators crowded in front of the Supreme Court Monday, rallying in support of President Barack Obama’s plan to protect some immigrant families from deportation.
The high court heard the oral argument Monday regarding the United States vs. Texas. The case focuses on the president’s Deferred Action for Parents of Americans – called DAPA — and his extended Deferred Action for Children Arrivals, DACA for short.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement says there is a two-part message in the case: allowing the immigrant parents of American-born children to get work authorization, and permitting the immigrant kids who came to the United States before their 16th birthday — and before 2007 — to get work permits.
If Obama prevails, those parents and children would be spared from deportation.
“We don’t have another choice. We gonna’ keep fighting. That’s the only way we are going to be winning something,” said Mario Quintero of Michigan, one of more than 1,000 participants at the rally.
As a father of three daughters, Quintero said he experienced deportation 11 years ago. The construction worker is still undocumented and is awaiting relief from DAPA.
Another family from Michigan wasn’t so lucky.
Sayra Hernandez, 16, who was with her mother at the rally, said they are facing deportation scheduled on April 29.
“It is really important — not just us dealing with the situation. I think it is important to bring back DAPA and immigration reform,” said Hernandez, a student.
In 2010, she said her dad was sent back to Mexico. Now she and her mom may have to go back. That would leave her younger sister, a U.S. citizen, alone in this country.
Obama’s actions have been stymied by the court challenge. But Brad Thompson, an immigration attorney from Michigan, said if the court ruling goes Obama’s way, it “would give the president the authority and the decision to provide this type of opportunity to the immigrants in the future.”
Thompson said the current immigration system does not provide any choice to immigrants. Living in a state known for production of automobiles, many of the undocumented immigrants are operating cars without driver’s licenses.
The participants at the rally remain hopeful.
“I am pretty sure in June, we are going to have a good answer,” said Mario Quintero.
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