Statement from Elizabeth Barajas-Román, president & CEO of Women’s Funding Network
SAN FRANCISCO — On Friday, a federal judge ruled to fully restore Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA — a program protecting about 700,000 young immigrants known as Dreamers from deportation — and ordered the Department of Homeland Security to immediately resume accepting new applicants and issuing two-year work permits. In response, Elizabeth Barajas-Román, president & CEO of Women’s Funding Network issued the following statement:
“Restoring DACA is a major win for Dreamers, freeing these young people from the daily fear of deportation, as well as a major win for our society and communities, which greatly benefit from the contributions and leadership of Dreamers and immigrants. We must continue to build power for DACA recipients and all immigrants and people of color — especially women, trans and gender non-binary people — by investing in communities through a gender and racial justice lens. As women’s funds and foundations, we know that there can be no gender justice without immigrant justice and racial justice.
“Women’s and girls’ funds, foundations and gender justice funders stand in solidarity with immigrant communities and vow to continue investing in and working toward our shared vision of a world free from racism, misogyny and xenophobia, in which immigrants, young people and everyone of all genders and all races can thrive.
“As we continue this work, we urge the larger philanthropy sector to give generously to organizations and communities on the frontline struggle for immigrants’ rights.”