On November 21, President Barack Obama announced executive actions providing deportation relief and three-year work permits to undocumented immigrants who have lived in the United States for at least 5 years and have U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident children. While GLAHR community members welcome the announcement, the majority of members find themselves ineligible for relief and will continue to campaign for relief for the entire community. GLAHR issued the following press release in response to the President’s announcement.

Georgia Latino Alliance for Human Rights (GLAHR) Sees Results in President’s Immigration Announcement, Vows to See it Implemented and Expanded

Executive Action Announcement Responds to Grassroots Pressure, Fight for The Excluded Continues

The Obama administration has issued an executive order that will provide administrative relief to many immigrants in the United States. This new policy is an important victory for our community’s undocumented immigrants and their families who have demanded that President Obama halt unjust deportations, end programs that criminalize immigrants, and expand the deferred action program created for immigrant youths in 2012. By collectively raising our voices against inhumane immigration practices, our community has shown the power of mobilizing to demand the right to live, work, and support our loved ones without fear of deportation.

Our community has waited long enough for administrative relief, and we urge the Obama administration to implement this decision without any further delay.

While President Obama’s executive order is a significant victory, our struggle for a humane, long-term solution to this country’s broken immigration system will continue. We will continue to demand an end to local law enforcement’s involvement in federal deportation efforts. And we will continue to fight for all of our community members who will not receive relief from the president’s executive order.

These excluded members include many LGBTQ immigrants, childless immigrants, recently arrived immigrants and immigrants who have had brief brushes with the criminal justice system. We will continue our struggle until our entire community achieves full recognition and equality.

On Friday, November 21 at 12 pm, we will gather at the Atlanta Detention Center, and at 6 pm our community will organize at Plaza Fiesta, not only to celebrate the President’s announcement but also to continue to advocate for all of our community members who continue to be excluded.