Statement on the President’s Use of Executive Authority to Enact Key Provisions of the Dream Act

“On behalf of Bend the Arc: a Jewish Partnership for Justice, and the millions of Jews whose ancestors came to this country fleeing desperate circumstances and seeking a better life, I applaud President Obama’s decision to cease the deportation of law-abiding undocumented immigrants who have grown up within our borders. The President’s decision to relieve these 800,000 men and women from lives of fear, and to begin issuing work permits, is a significant step. It is our hope that the President’s leadership on this issue will encourage a recalcitrant Congress to move forward to enact long overdue comprehensive immigration reform legislation.”

— Alan van Capelle, Chief Executive Officer of Bend the Arc: A Jewish Partnership for Justice