The American Civil Liberties Union of Georgia joined more than a hundred Atlantans today in a rally for Jessica Colotl, the DREAMer and Kennesaw State University graduate whose status was suddenly revoked by the Trump administration. The ACLU of Georgia and the ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Project, which has joined Colotl’s legal team, also pushed back against misleading and outright false information disseminated by immigration authorities about Colotl’s case.
“The overwhelming support shown for Jessica here today sends a clear message that the people of Georgia will continue to stand up and speak out against Trump’s mass deportation force,” said Andrea Young, Executive Director of the ACLU of Georgia. “Jessica has devoted herself to improving her community and was previously granted DACA twice under the same circumstances, but Trump’s Department of Homeland Security terminated her status and made her a priority for deportation anyway. This is outrageous, unlawful and needs to stop.”
The ACLU is urging the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to reinstate her protected status under DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals), which was suddenly revoked by the Trump administration despite no change in her circumstances. The DACA program allows immigrants who came to the U.S. as children, often called DREAMers, to apply for a work permit and temporary protection against removal.
“The Trump administration has said that DACA recipients are not a priority for deportation, but actions speak louder than words,” said Sean J. Young, ACLU of Georgia Legal Director. “The government has no basis to strip Jessica of her DACA status.”
Colotl, who was brought to the United States by her parents when she was 11, has been granted protection under DACA twice. The government is now using an old, unfounded case that was dismissed and does not affect her eligibility for DACA, to target her. According to the government, Colotl is guilty of having made a false statement to the police in 2010. However, Colotl never gave false information to law enforcement nor did she plead guilty to the charge filed against her. This charge was dismissed in 2013.