Los Angeles, CA – Please attribute the following statement on the letter from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and 10 other states demanding that the federal government rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) initiative to Thomas A. Saenz, president and general counsel of MALDEF (Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund):
DACA
WELLS FARGO SUED FOR DISCRIMINATORY LENDING PRACTICES AGAINST CERTAIN IMMIGRANTS
MALDEF LAUNCHES FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND TOOLKIT TO ASSIST UNDOCUMENTED YOUTH APPLYING FOR DACA
LOS ANGELES, CA – MALDEF (Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund) today released a first-of-its-kind toolkit designed to help undocumented youth obtain the critical records needed to apply for temporary relief from deportation under President Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) initiative. “DACA has already benefitted hundreds of thousands of young immigrants,” said Thomas A. Saenz, MALDEF President and General Counsel. “This toolkit should assist countless others who are eligible but have not applied, perhaps because of the difficulty in obtaining the necessary evidence and documentary proof of eligibility for discretionary DACA relief.” Under DACA, undocumented youths who were born after 1981, came to the United States before age 16, and remained in the country since 2007, are eligible to receive relief from potential removal, work authorization, and a Social Security card.
MALDEF STATEMENT ON SUPREME COURT’S DECISION TO DENY REHEARING OF DAPA/DACA CASE
LOS ANGELES, CA – The United States Supreme Court today denied a petition to rehear United States v. Texas, a case challenging the constitutionality of President Obama’s executive actions on immigration, including the expansion of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and the initiation of Deferred Action for Parents of Americans (DAPA).
DACA Recipients’ Private Information is Safe For Time Being
JUDGE HANEN AGREES TO STAY HIS ORDER TO TURN OVER PERSONAL INFORMATION ON 50,000 IMMIGRANT YOUTH
BROWNSVILLE, TX – MALDEF was in United States District court today seeking to stop the federal government’s release of personal information on ten of thousands of young immigrants. In addition, yesterday MALDEF filed papers in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans seeking to block the order of Judge Andrew Hanen requiring the United States to turn over to him the names, addresses and other personal information of approximately 50,000 immigrant youth who received three–year grants of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) between November 2014 and February 2015.
TRIAL JUDGE SEEKS PRIVATE INFORMATION ABOUT IMMIGRANTS IN DAPA/DACA CASE
AUSTIN, TX – A federal judge in Brownsville, Texas has ordered that the federal government provide him the names and addresses of over 100,000 recipients of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) in Texas v. United States, the pivotal case challenging the constitutionality of President Obama’s executive actions on immigration. The order also indicates that the judge may later release this private information to the plaintiff States in the case.
MALDEF PRESENTS ORAL ARGUMENT TO SCOTUS IN DEFENSE OF DAPA IN PIVOTAL IMMIGRATION CASE
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, MALDEF President and General Counsel, Thomas A. Saenz, presented oral argument before the U.S. Supreme Court in United States v. Texas, a case challenging the constitutionality of President Obama’s executive actions on immigration, including the expansion of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and the initiation of Deferred Action for Parents of Americans (DAPA).
MALDEF FILES SUIT AGAINST UNIVERSITY SYSTEM OF GEORGIA FOR DENYING DEFERRED ACTION STUDENTS IN-STATE TUITION
ATLANTA, GA – Today, MALDEF, along with local counsel Horsley Begnaud, LLC, filed a federal-court lawsuit against the University System of Georgia, challenging a policy denying in-state tuition to individuals lawfully present as recipients of deferred action from the United States government. The lawsuit alleges that the University of Georgia System’s practices violate the Supremacy and Equal Protection clauses of the U.S. Constitution. The Defendants are the Board of Regents members and the University Presidents.
AS COUNSEL FOR THE ONLY INTERVENORS IN TEXAS V. UNITED STATES, MALDEF WILL CONTINUE TO DEFEND CLIENTS AS SUPREME COURT REVIEWS IMMIGRATION CASE
WASHINGTON, DC -Today, the U.S. Supreme Court decided to review Texas v. United States, a case challenging the constitutionality of President Obama’s executive actions on immigration, including the expansion of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and the initiation of Deferred Action for Parents of Americans (DAPA). MALDEF’s clients, three mothers from South Texas, were the only parties granted intervention, joining the Obama Administration in defending the case as it moved through the Supreme Court.
MALDEF CLIENTS WILL JOIN OBAMA ADMINISTRATION AS PARTIES DEFENDING DACA/DAPA AS CASE MOVES TO THE U.S. SUPREME COURT
NEW ORLEANS, LA – Yesterday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit issued an order allowing MALDEF’s clients, three mothers from south Texas who intend to apply for Deferred Action for Parents of Americans (DAPA), to participate as parties in the appeal recently decided by a Fifth Circuit panel. The women will therefore have party status, with all rights of parties, including briefing, argument, and participation in all case-related matters, as the case moves to the Supreme Court. Today, the United States Department of Justice filed a petition asking the Supreme Court to hear the case on President Obama’s executive actions on immigration. As the appeals process moves to the U.S. Supreme Court, MALDEF will advocate on behalf of the three mothers in Texas v. United States, adding a human dimension to this pivotal case.
MALDEF CLIENTS GRANTED INTERVENTION AS APPEAL ON EXECUTIVE ACTION ON IMMIGRATION MOVES TO U.S. SUPREME COURT
NEW ORLEANS, La. – Late last night, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit granted MALDEF’s clients the right to intervene in Texas v. United States, a federal lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the expansion of the existing Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, and the creation of Deferred Action for Parents of Americans (DAPA). As the appeals process moves to the U.S. Supreme Court, MALDEF’s clients, three mothers from south Texas who intend to apply for DAPA, will participate as parties in the case, with all of the rights of parties, including briefing, argument, and participation in all matters. The Court ruled against the Obama Administration on a 2-1 vote, upholding a lower court’s preliminary injunction against implementing expanded DACA and DAPA. The United States has indicated that it will seek review by the Supreme Court.
MALDEF AND LATINOJUSTICE PRLDEF FILE U.S. SUPREME COURT BRIEF ON BEHALF OF LATINO ORGANIZATIONS ADDRESSING THE IMPORTANCE OF CAMPUS DIVERSITY IN FISHER V. UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS
WASHINGTON, D.C. – MALDEF (Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund) and LatinoJustice PRLDEF filed an amicus brief in the U.S. Supreme Court last Monday in Fisher v. University of Texas on behalf of 25 Texas and national Latina/o organizations, including UT students in support of the race-conscious college admissions plan.
MALDEF VICTORIOUS AS STATE COURT DECLARES MARICOPA COUNTY DREAMERS ELIGIBLE FOR ARIZONA IN-STATE TUITION
PHOENIX, AZ – Late Tuesday, Judge Arthur T. Anderson of the Superior Court of Arizona ruled that students granted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) are eligible for in-state tuition at the Maricopa County Community College District. As part of its campaign against immigrants and DACA recipients, the State of Arizona sued one of its own community college districts to prevent it from offering in-state tuition to DACA recipients.
MALDEF APPEALS EXCLUSION FROM LAWSUIT OF MOTHERS AFFECTED BY ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION ON IMMIGRATION (DAPA)
BROWNSVILLE, TX- Today, MALDEF appealed the decision of U.S. District Judge Andrew S. Hanen, denying intervention of three mothers who would potentially qualify for relief under the administrative action on immigration announced last year by President Barack Obama. On February 11, 2015, the court denied the mothers’ request to intervene in the case as parties, but agreed to consider their legal arguments. The appeal filed today will be heard in the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.