DACA update
The Supreme Court in June rejected the Trump administration’s push to end the Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program that gives nearly 700,000 recipients the ability to work in the U.S. and avoid deportation. Congressional action is still needed to provide permanent legal protection to DACA recipients and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and Deferred Enforcement Departure (DED) holders who are living in a state of uncertainty.

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Foreign aid
House appropriators have unveiled an international budget bill for Fiscal Year 2021, including $10 billion to respond to the pandemic through coronavirus preparedness, response and relief globally. ELCA Advocacy continues to push for inclusion of these fund expenditures to support developing countries.

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Climate Crisis Action Plan
The House of Representative’s Select Committee on Solving the Climate Crisis issued its long-awaited Climate Crisis Action Plan report on June 30 that recommends policies aimed at creating jobs and transitioning to renewable energy for fuels. Although not bipartisan, many of the report’s provisions appear to be mutually acceptable and are likely to be the basis for future legislation.

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Census 2020 
At this time, only around 62% of households have self-responded to the 2020 Census online, by mail or by phone. Census takers are scheduled to begin in-person interviewing of households that have not yet responded, starting July 16. Let’s help keep door-to-door visits minimal. Take the 2020 Census now and urge your community to do so too – for your neighbor and yourself.

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