Congressman Panetta Statement on Sixth Anniversary of the Announcement of the DACA Program

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Jimmy Panetta (CA-20) released the following statement to commemorate the sixth anniversary of the announcement of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

"Six years ago, President Barack Obama established the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, an initiative that gave young undocumented immigrants an opportunity to remain in and give back to the only country that they have ever known. These brave young men and women stepped out of the shadows, only to have the rug pulled out from underneath them when the current Administration announced plans to end the program.

"We were reminded that our government's system of checks and balances is still in place when, in March, the Supreme Court delayed the Administration's decision until further notice. I encourage those who previously received DACA to submit a renewal request with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

"Nevertheless, I understand that we are working on borrowed time. Thousands of DACA recipients living and working on the central coast of California deserve Congressional action so that they can continue to contribute to our community. I am continuing to work with Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle to pass legislation to provide lasting relief to these young men and women."

Those who previously received DACA and whose status expired on or after September 5, 2016 may still file their DACA request as a renewal request. Read more at uscis.gov.