DENVER, CO — Conservation Colorado, the state’s largest environmental group, today reiterated its solidarity with recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and support for partners working on behalf of immigrants in our state and nation. The announcement comes on the same day that the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on the legality of President Trump’s 2017 decision to rescind the program.

DACA has protected 17,000 Colorado residents and the economic impact to our state of removing DACA workers would be approximately $857 billion.

Juan Gallegos, Protégete Director at Conservation Colorado, is available for interviews today and made the following statement:

As a DACA recipient, I know how important this program is for young people to achieve their American dream. Deferred action has allowed me the opportunity to gain lawful employment in the U.S. It has allowed me to pursue my dreams and to protect the environment and planet for future generations by supporting the training of environmental leaders from Latino community members.

Working for an organization that organizes Latino and immigrant communities, I see firsthand how DACA recipients contribute to our movement, to their families, to our society, and to our economy.

Our Protégete organizers are often working with mixed-status and immigrant families where it is common for some of the young family members to have DACA. We have seen the effects on community, when people trust their government. As that same government acts on the enforcement of a broken immigration system — and against DACA recipients — I fear that our gains in civic participation will be eroded by a president and administration intent on targeting the same folks who already live on the frontlines of many injustices. We will keep a close eye on the Supreme Court decision because we know that for many young climate champions and their family members #HomeIsHere.