This week, families across the nation showed their strength and resilience as they rose to take a stand in support of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. This is particularly important to us at the Partnership for Los Angeles Schools because the LA region is home to the largest number of DACA recipients in the nation. Also, many DACA recipients attend and have attended Partnership schools and they enrich the communities we serve. The DACA program — an immigration policy that protects from deportation approximately 700,000 undocumented people (or DREAMers) who immigrated to the United States as children and have broken no laws — has been under attack by the current presidential administration since 2017.

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) heard arguments about whether to end the DACA program. Although the high court seems split on the matter, the Partnership stands with immigrant students, families, educators, employees and our broader community and we ask that SCOTUS uphold the DACA policy. We also call on Congress to work to enact full immigration reform.

We hope the Supreme Court Justices will rule in favor of maintaining the DACA program. The decision can come as early as January 2020 or as late as June 2020. In the meantime, the Partnership echoes the resounding message heard on the steps of the US Supreme Court building on Tuesday: “Home is here!”.

It is up to all of us to make sure the story of our country isn’t one marred by the forceful removal of people from the only homes they have ever known. To learn more about how you can support families and students in LA Unified click here and to show your support and stand with DREAMers visit fwd.us.