What it is to be American — DAPA/DACA case to be heard by Supreme Court

As the U.S. Supreme Court hears oral arguments on Monday regarding the United States v. Texas case, I have reflected on the story of a Salvadoran woman whose plight was called to my attention in a recent House committee meeting.

As a counselor for abused women and minors, the woman had struggled to make her homeland a better place. She had hoped El Salvador would see better days and that her son would have a better life than her own. Her faith in mankind and belief in the rule of law have guided her through violence and despair.

Like so many others haunted by violence, this Salvadoran woman remains hopeful that her nation will join the community of nations in which government is accountable to its people and supports her in raising her family in peace and prosperity. But a long and perilous escape North was her family’s only hope for a better life.

Our local hero, Sister Norma Pimentel, said: “We can make present the immigrants themselves, their faces, their stories, so that people can know they are not criminals, that they are people like you and deserve dignity and respect from all of us.” Indeed, the stories of our immigrant neighbors, friends and colleagues are very real, fitting well into the overall narrative of what it means to be an American. I find it difficult, as I am sure you do, to fathom having to suffer what many of them, children included, have endured. Like our Forefathers, they came to this country with nothing but the will for a better life. They are Americans and part of the fabric of the United States. Their stories are our stories; and ours, theirs.

As a son of immigrants and former chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, I am proud to represent a district along the U.S.-Mexico border that has a large population of immigrants who contribute to the vibrancy of our regional economy, job growth and rich culture. In fact, the Institute of Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP) projected that immigrants would add $154.2 million in Texas tax revenue if granted full legal status. An estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants currently living in the United States paid $11.64 billion in state and local taxes. And this number would increase by $2.1 billion more if comprehensive immigration reform was passed and implemented.

Clearly, immigrants contribute to our nation’s economy and enhance the already powerful image of what it means to be an American. It is absolutely vital to define our national identity for generations to come. At stake is the fundamental question of who we are as Americans. Are we going to continue to be the shining city upon a hill proudly providing a beacon of hope and freedom to the rest of humanity, or are we are going to wall off our borders and give in to xenophobia and the politics of fear?

This brings me back to the United States v. Texas case, which challenges President Barack Obama’s executive actions on immigration and argues against the policies to expand “Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals” (DACA) and create “Deferred Action for Parents of Americans” (DAPA). The legal issue is clear: Can the president determine the nation’s immigration priorities and focus federal resources on making communities safer by deporting criminals rather than law-abiding men, women, and children?

Simply put, President Obama is enforcing existing laws and exercising discretion granted to him by Congress, similarly exercised by former presidents of both parties for decades, including Dwight D. Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan, and George H.W. Bush.

Congress enacted authority for the president to act, but the Texas case and other challenges would reshape our nation’s immigration traditions by using federal courts to achieve what they could not change through the political process and instead create barriers to the most vulnerable in our society.

The Center for American Progress found that more than 6.1 million U.S. citizens currently live with a DAPA-eligible family member and that California and Texas alone account for half of these individuals. Our state, which spearheaded the lawsuit to block implementation, is home to 1.1 million affected U.S. citizens, the second-highest rate in the nation. While the original DACA is not being challenged in this case, a ruling against the president’s immigration actions would be hugely disruptive and create uncertainty for millions of Americans relying on DAPA and expanded DACA to provide a measure of stability for their families by giving their parents the opportunity to come out of the shadows.

We are a nation of compassion, ambition, and strength. The challenge to President Obama’s actions on immigration is only the first battle in the struggle to redefine who we are. I am hopeful that the United States v. Texas case before the Court will reject hate and fear and show the world what America really stands for.

Original Op-Ed published in The McAllen Monitor: http://www.themonitor.com/opinion/commentary-what-it-is-to-be-american-dapa-daca-case/article_34fbcb72-034c-11e6-9064-e3ebe6ead783.html