DACA recipient and plaintiff in lawsuit against Trump admin says, 'We’re standing up as a community'
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Martín Batalla Vidal said he’ll never forget the day that the Trump administration rescinded the program that allows him and 700,000 young immigrants to legally work and live free from the fear of deportation. “My phone wouldn’t stop buzzing from texDACA recipient and plaintiff in lawsuit against Trump admin says, 'We’re standing up as a community'
Martín Batalla Vidal said he’ll never forget the day that the Trump administration rescinded the program that allows him and 700,000 young immigrants to legally work and live free from the fear of deportation. “My phone wouldn’t stop buzzing from text messages and calls from my friends,” he writes. “My stomach tightened, my body felt weak, tears welled in my eyes. My best friend sent me a message, ‘That’s it. It’s over.’” But it wasn’t over, Batalla Vidal said. He sued, and on Tuesday, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments around the Trump administration’s unlawful and cruel termination of the successful and popular Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. For Batalla Vidal, it was also incredibly personal: “The case that bears my name, McAleenan v. Vidal, is one of three consolidated cases that has reached the highest court in the land,” he said. Batalla Vidal said he wanted to defend DACA in court and in the streets—he was also part of the recent march that traveled 230 miles from New York City to Washington, D.C.—because it “has changed my life and protected my family. It has allowed me to go back to school, start my career, and feel safe with my family knowing I wouldn’t be separated from them. And I knew that, with hundreds of thousands of undocumented youth across the country and our allies, we would fight to keep it.” Should the justices side with the Trump administration, the U.S. will be reneging on an agreement it made with hundreds of thousands of people, that if they trusted the government with their personal information, they could live with some sense of security. Through these protections, young immigrants have gained greater access to higher education, better jobs, purchased homes, and supported their families. Entire communities are at stake. “We are business owners, artists, school teachers, lawyers, mothers, fathers, and nurses like me,” Batalla Vidal said. “Even though the program’s structure has meant that I have been living my life in two-year increments (recipients must reapply every two years), DACA provides me with critical immigration relief, allowing me to work and remain in the United States with my family.” It’s clear why he’s fighting—and it’s clear we need to keep supporting him and all young immigrants so that they can continue to thrive and live in dignity here, where they belong. “Our message is clear,” he said. “The termination of DACA was unlawful and we will continue to show our resilience as we fight for our futures. We aren’t going back into hiding. We’re standing up as a community, stronger than ever—ready to fight.” Read more