Indiana immigration legal service providers condemn Sen. Joe Donnelly’s (D-IN) vote supporting the Collins Bill, S.534, which would repeal the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and lawful permanent residents (DAPA) programs.Even with Sen. Donnelly’s vote, the Collins Bill failed in a vote of 57-42 and will not advance at this time. However, Sen. Donnelly showed he stands on the wrong side of history in his attempt to rob an estimated 30,000 Indiana parents and children of a temporary reprieve from fear of deportation and permanent family separation.
The Elkhart Truth recently told the story of Enrique Arista Salgado, a Goshen father whose story demonstrates the pain and fear Indiana parents and children have suffered as they have waited for Congress to pass a comprehensive immigration reform law and, more recently, to apply for deferred action under President Obama’s November 2014 immigration executive actions. Mr. Arista Salgado, however, also expressed the hope he and others have about one day being able to live freely and contribute to their Indiana communities: “My dreams keep growing,” he told the newspaper.
In addition to the human cost wrought by S.534, the Congressional Budget Office and Joint Committee on Taxation released findings this morning that the legislation would increase the federal deficit by $6.3 billion over the next 10 years.
Indiana immigration legal service providers offered the following comments in response to Sen. Donnelly’s vote:
Rocio Arevalo of LaCasa, Inc.:
“We are saddened by the position Sen. Donnelly has taken on immigrant families. Friends and neighbors from churches and schools are eager to contribute to our community. His vote sends the wrong message to immigrants in Indiana and serves only to spread confusion and fear.”
Lisa Koop of the National Immigrant Justice Center’s Goshen Office:
“We are disappointed that Sen. Donnelly was compelled to join Senate Republicans in supporting a bill that has such severe economic costs and would deny thousands of Indiana families, including hundreds of U.S. citizen children, the security of temporary lawful status and the opportunity to live without fear and contribute to our state’s society and economy. Since the president announced the DAPA program and extension of DACA, I have met hundreds of parents and children who are eager to step forward and do whatever it takes to legalize their status. Eliminating this opportunity would be a loss for all Hoosiers.”
Rose Rivera of the Center for Legal Justice:
“It is hard to understand why Sen. Donnelly is interested in excluding those who are already part of our community. The Center for Legal Justice strongly disagrees with Sen. Donnelly's vote to repeal DAPA and DACA and is thankful Collins Bill S.354 did not pass.”