CNSI Leader Calls for Congressional Action as Dreamers Face Increased Uncertainty

CONTACT: Roberto Estrada 
restrada@monumentadvocacy.com

WASHINGTON – Council on National Security and Immigration (CNSI) leader Lynden Melmed today renewed the call for Congress to pass a permanent solution for Dreamers, ensuring they can continue contributing to the nation.

“Last week, the federal government proposed to a U.S. district court that it would resume processing new DACA applications, but without granting work authorization to Texas residents. If accepted by the court, it would mean that 88,000 DACA recipients in Texas would lose work authorization, said Lynden Melmed.

“This development underscores the fragility of DACA and the urgent need for a legislative solution. The need for Congress to act is essential as DACA recipients face increased uncertainty amidst rising immigration enforcement and the potential for different rules in different states.

“Dreamers are students, workers, and service members who strengthen our communities and our country. Immigration enforcement should remain focused on genuine public safety and national security threats. Congress must deliver a bipartisan, permanent solution so these young people can live and work without fear of removal. Doing so would not only support economic growth and uphold America’s values but also enhance national security by allowing Dreamers, including those serving in the military and filling critical workforce gaps, to continue strengthening the United States.”

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Leaders of CNSI speak and act solely in their individual capacities, and their views should not be attributed to any organization with which they are affiliated.

About Lynden Melmed: Lynden Melmed is a partner with Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP (BAL) and oversees the firm’s Government Strategies group. He counsels corporate clients on complex immigration compliance matters, assists businesses in establishing and managing immigration programs, and represents businesses in connection with audits and investigations by the federal government. From 2002 through 2005, Melmed served as an attorney at the Department of Justice and later at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). From 2005-2007, Melmed served as counsel to Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas), who was Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security, and Citizenship. In 2007, President Bush appointed Mr. Melmed Chief Counsel of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the agency’s highest-ranking legal position. As Chief Counsel, Melmed managed the legal program for the country’s largest immigration benefits agency and was a key advisor to senior leadership within USCIS, DHS, the White House, and other federal agencies on all aspects of immigration law. Melmed was appointed to the Advisory Board of the Migration Policy Institute (MPI) in 2020. Read more here.

About CNSI: The Council on National Security and Immigration is a group of American national security leaders who believe immigration reforms are imperative to bolster and maintain the United States’ global leadership in the 21st century. Find out more here: www.cnsiusa.org