Statements from Mayor de Blasio, Corporation Counsel James Johnson, Commissioner Mostofi and MOIA Organizers/DACA Recipients

Statement from Mayor de Blasio:

“Tens of thousands of DACA recipients call this city home. They’re our neighbors, our friends, our colleagues. They’re New Yorkers. Today’s Supreme Court decision is a huge step for the people of this city, and an even bigger step in the right direction. Dreamers who are part of our city and part of our country can now know that they will have a bright future here. Now we must have comprehensive immigration reform to create real change.”

Statement from Corporation Counsel James E. Johnson:

“The decision by the Supreme Court today preserving DACA is a victory for the thousands of young people, Dreamers, who can stay and work, legally, in the only places they know as home, without constant fear of deportation. It is also a victory for the very best of our ideals of opportunity. New York City has been on the forefront in fighting this unconscionable attack on the thousands of people in our city, and the dreams of many more across the country. The Court got it just right: the Trump administration’s action in ending the program was illegal.”

Statement from the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affair's Commissioner Bitta Mostofi:

“We are thrilled to see the Supreme Court uphold the rule of law and critical protections for the tens of thousands of New Yorkers who have received DACA. We have long recognized their inextricable ties and significant contributions to our communities. We wholeheartedly join our Dreamers and their families in celebrating today’s victory, a testament to not only their years-long advocacy but also their important roles in their communities.  But we also know that the fight must continue.  We call on the Senate to pass the American Dream and Promise Act so that the hundreds of thousands of Dreamers around the country can be on a path to citizenship. Call Action NYC at 1-800-354-0365 where we can answer your questions and can offer free and safe immigration legal help.”

Statement from Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs Manager of Outreach and Organizing and DACA Recipient Violeta Gomez-Uribe:

“I am thrilled and beside myself that the Supreme Court ruled the Administration's decision to end DACA was in violation of the law. This is a win, and it is one for which we are indebted to the leadership, voices, and labor of Dreamers in NYC, including many in my own MOIA family, and around the country. I know that there are so many other things that we need to accomplish to make our society a better place, but as a DACA recipient that has been in the immigration movement for over 15 years, I am going to give myself permission to celebrate this!”

Statement from Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs Central Brooklyn Organizer and DACA Recipient Ronnie James:

“I am excited about the SCOTUS decision to uphold the DACA program that has allowed over 825,000 immigrant youth protection from deportation that allows us the opportunity to grow. However, I am also disheartened by the history of immigration policy in the U.S., which has disqualified and denied access to permanent status to migrants. We cannot rest until we have a pathway to citizenship for all 11 million undocumented people.”

Statement from Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs East and Central Queens Organizer and DACA Recipient Ajeyo (AJ) Yusuf:

“Today’s SCOTUS decision on DACA is a respite in a year when our suffering is at an all-time high. DACA would not have survived had it not been for the perseverance of all those who organized, advocated, and fought alongside us. I thank them all. However, we must continue this fight as DACA was intended to be and still is a stop gap measure. We must fight for comprehensive immigration reform to bring justice to our immigrant communities, and we must seek police reform and an end to systemic racism to bring justice to people of color everywhere in America. The struggle continues.