Dear Mr. President,
As uncertainty surrounding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program continues
with untold consequences, we write to strongly urge you to continue to support this vital program.
The Catholic Bishops have long supported DACA youth and continue to do so. We believe that the
dignity of every human being, particularly that of our children and youth, must be protected. An
estimated 800,000 young people have received and benefitted from the DACA program. Through our
parishes and over 300 Catholic Charities, CLINIC and other affiliated member and partner agencies,
we have had the privilege of meeting and working with tens of thousands of these outstanding
individuals who are so much a part of who we are. They are contributors to our economy, veterans of
our military, academic standouts in our universities, and leaders in our parishes and communities.
Your decision to continue this program would ensure that young people can continue to work, study,
and be protected from deportation while Congress debates broader legislative fixes to our broken
immigration system. A decision to end this program would turn our nation’s back on immigrant youth
who are seeking to reach their full God-given potential and fulfill the promise of gratefully giving back
to the only country most have ever known.
At the heart of Catholic Social Teaching is the moral obligation to protect the life and dignity of every
human being, particularly the most vulnerable, which includes our youth. These young people were
brought to the United States by their parents whose desire was to provide their children with hope,
opportunity, and safety that they could never hope to find in their countries of birth.
Mr. President, your administration once again has an extraordinary opportunity to demonstrate, both
now and to future generations, our nation’s spirit of generosity and compassion. We hope and pray
that you make the right decision to continue the DACA program for the benefit of not only these
amazing youth, but our nation as a whole.
Sincerely,

Most Reverend Joe S. Vásquez
Chairman
USCCB Committee on
Migration

Sr. Donna Markham OP, PhD
President and CEO
Catholic Charities USA

Jeanne M. Atkinson, Esq.
Executive Director
Catholic Legal Immigration
Network Inc. (CLINIC)