Elk Grove Village, IL–(ENEWSPF)–June 23, 2016
“Today’s 4-4 decision in U.S. vs Texas blocks implementation of President Obama’s attempt to keep immigrant parents and their children together without the fear of deportation. It is a profoundly disappointing setback for immigrant children, youth and families across the country who came here in search of opportunity but now will continue to see their families torn apart.
“The Supreme Court’s affirmation of the lower court’s decision, which rejects President Obama’s legal authority to create the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans (DAPA) and Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals (DACA) expansion policies, will have a major impact on the lives of millions of immigrant families who live with the fear of deportation and separation from their children, parents, and grandparents. The American Academy of Pediatrics previously signed an amicus brief to the Court urging support for expanded DACA and DAPA for this reason.
“Far too many children in this country live in constant fear that their parents will be taken into custody or deported, and this prolonged anguish takes a toll on their health, can lead to loss of income, poor school performance, unstable housing and food insecurity. All children should be able to pursue a high-quality education, remain united with their families, and access health care services. We can and must do better for immigrant children and youth, who did not choose where they or their parents were born or how they came to this country, and for their parents, who are building their lives here, pay taxes, and help grow our economy.
“While today’s failure by the Supreme Court to side one way or the other is disappointing, our work is not over. Pediatricians will continue to fight on behalf of the immigrant families they care for and their right to be treated with humanity and compassion. We will continue to work toward a more permanent solution to fix our immigration system and advocate for policies that protect immigrant children and families.
“We need to speak of immigrant children not as a political problem but as an integral part of the fabric and strength of our country. The mission of the American Academy of Pediatrics is to protect the health and well-being of all children, regardless of where they were born, and pediatricians will hold our state and federal governments to that same standard.”
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The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 64,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults. For more information, visit www.aap.org and follow us on Twitter @AmerAcadPeds
Source: http://www.aap.org
