For Immediate Release
Thursday, September 14, 2017
CONTACT:
Melissa Cardenas-Dow
Chair, Task Force on Intersectionality
Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association
(909) 793-2030
melissa.cardenasdow@gmail.com
APALA releases statement on the rescinding of DACA
The Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA) expresses its unwavering support for the 800,000 individuals who take part in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. We recognize that the end of the DACA program affects not just individual recipients, but also their families, friends, communities, and workplaces. APALA is firm in this position: immigrants, regardless of documentation status, are vital, integral members of library communities, of those who work in libraries and those who participate in library services and programs. We also recognize that the protections provided by the DACA program affect many, diverse communities, families, and individuals, including Asian/Pacific American (APA) immigrants and their family members. The rescinding of DACA affects us all.
APALA is a professional organization dedicated to advancing social justice, furthering dialogue, and promoting learning about many different issues that affect our members, communities, and workplaces. One way we demonstrate our commitment is by supporting our members’ need to continuously learn about how libraries and information organizations are responding to pressing social and cultural concerns. We commend ALA’s Libraries Respond program, specifically its resources that provide important information on serving immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers.
APALA joins other library associations and organizations in urging the U.S. Congress to find a compassionate solution to problems created by the rescinding of the DACA program:
- ALA responds to end of Deferred Action to Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, 9/05/2017 http://www.ala.org/news/member-news/2017/09/ala-responds-end-deferred-action-childhood-arrivals-daca-program
- California Library Association statement, 9/06/2017 https://www.facebook.com/CaliforniaLibraryAssociation/posts/10155764781968793
- REFORMA statement on the rescinding of DACA, 9/05/2017 http://reforma.membershipsoftware.org/blog_home.asp?Display=135
- CSU Chico Meriam Library stands with DACA recipients, 9/06/2017 https://library.csuchico.edu/news/2017/meriam-library-stands-daca-recipients
- School Library Journal (SLJ) Editors respond to DACA decision, 9/06/2017 http://www.slj.com/2017/09/opinion/slj-editors-respond-daca-decision/
- BCALA’s statement on rescinding DACA, 9/06/2017 http://bcala.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/BCALA-Press-Release-09062017.pdf
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Founded in 1980, the Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA) is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. All donations to APALA are tax deductible and support our work for library services, programs, scholarships, awards, and grants related to library services benefiting Asian/Pacific Americans and Asian/Pacific American librarians.