In a joint statement released Monday, Mayor Jim Kenney and Miriam Enriquez, director of the Office of Immigrant Affairs, condemned Congress's failure to pass legislation on the DACA program by March 5, the deadline for congressional action outlined by the Trump administration when it ended the program in September. 

In the statement, Kenney and Enriquez cited the President's rejection of bipartisan agreements from Congress as part of the ongoing inaction, while "thousands of DACA recipients have already lost their status over the past six months." 

"The stakes are too high — we must find a permanent solution now to keep families together and keep our economy strong," Kenney and Enriquez said in the statement.  

They continued: 

“We will continue to advocate for Dreamers and to ensure that Congress knows the urgency of the need for a permanent solution. DACA recipients are encouraged to take advantage of a temporary court injunction and to seek legal advice on applying for a DACA renewal." 

Kenney and Enriquez's statement concluded with a promise to continue to fight for Dreamers. 

Philadelphia, which defines itself as a "Welcoming City" rather than as a "sanctuary city," has as its policy to serve all city residents regardless of and without inquiring about their immigration status. 

At the headquarters of the crisis on Monday, thousands of Dreamers and supporters marched in Washington, D.C., demanding Congress pass legislation to protect DACA recipients and DACA-eligible youth.

BREAKING: Protesters calling for a #DreamActNow are blocking an intersection outside the White House and rallying outside Paul Ryan's office on Capitol Hill.

Today was supposed to be the day DACA officially ended, but a Supreme Court ruling delayed it. pic.twitter.com/45JaUhNXXk

— AJ+ (@ajplus) March 5, 2018

There have been reports of peaceful sit-ins and other acts of civil disobedience, along with arrests, as Dreamers and other immigrants call on Congress to pass a Dream Act as soon as possible. Despite rulings from two federal court judges that have blocked the Trump administration's decision to rescind the program, the situation remains urgent as the Department of Justice continues to refuse to accept any new applications for the program and a permanent resolution is still pending. 

Buzzfeed News reported live from the protest this afternoon in the video below: