Immigration reform advocates in Arizona are reacting to President Barack Obama’s executive actions on immigration policy.
James Lyall, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona, said the President’s move to increase resources at the border is not the right response to the humanitarian crisis there.
"The idea that children and young families who are fleeing violence and desperation, that the appropriate way to respond to that is by cracking down and stripping away existing due process protections is, we feel, exactly wrong," said Lyall.
However, Dulce Matuz, the executive director of the Arizona Dream Act Coalition, commended the president for taking action on immigration policy after the legislation stalled in congress.
"We knew for a very long time that immigration reform has been held hostage," said Matuz. "What I didn’t quite understand is why we have to wait until the summer."
Matuz added that it’s unclear exactly how the President’s executive actions will impact families.
