WASHINGTON D.C. – Congressman Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ) released the following statement after Sec. Kelly in consultation with Attorney General Sessions signed a memorandum rescinding the November 20, 2014 memorandum that created the program known as Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA). DAPA, which was stalled in the courts was never implemented as a program. It would have provided parents protection from deportation and the ability to apply for work permits.

“On the same day that we celebrated five successful years of DACA, which has granted almost 800,000 young adults with a sense of stability, Trump’s administration has effectively killed any glimpse of hope for upwards of five million undocumented immigrants with strong ties to our nation,” Rep. Grijalva said. “The racist and misguided political objectives of President Trump are an affront to our values. It is resoundingly clear that Trump and his administration are in the business of incubating fear within our society and scapegoating immigrants. For many U.S Citizen and legal permanent children and young adults, DAPA would have provided relief to their parents. While this relief would not have solved our broken immigration system, it would have given families an assurance that their loved ones would not be stripped away at any moment’s notice. Now, we see how detrimental Republican obstruction is.”