You may have recently heard a lot about DACA, or the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.
On January 9, 2018, a federal judge in California temporarily blocked the Trump Administration's efforts to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. This was in reaction to the announcement made in September 2017 that the current administration would phase out the program.
There is a lot of misunderstanding about the program, which is a DACA recipient. And many people question why DACA recipients have not applied for citizenship. DACA recipients come from a variety of backgrounds. For example, 7,250 of DACA recipients are from South Korea, and the highest percentage of recipients are 3 years old when they arrive in the United States.
Where do these misconceptions come from? It seems that some people just don't know what the program is. In October at NC State University, a poll found that if background information was added to survey questions on student's opinions of the program, students' approval of DACA increased 15 percent. Having more knowledge about the program and what it does and does not provide can help people make more informed decisions on whether or not they support such a program.
To apply for https://www.uscis.gov/archive/consideration-deferred-action-childhood-arrivals-daca#guidelinesDACA status, a person must meet the following qualifications:
- Under the age of 31 as of June 15, 2012;
- Came to the United States before the age of 16;
- Continuously resided in the United States since June 15, 2007;
- Physically present in the United States on June 15, 2012, and at the time of submitting the application materials;
- Had no lawful status on June 15, 2012;
- Currently in school, graduated from high school or have a GED, or are an honorably discharged veteran of the Coast Guard or Armed Forces;
- Have not been convicted of a felony, significant misdemeanor, or three or more other misdemeanors, and not have gang connections;
- Submit ample documentation to support every clause on this list;
- Pay a $495 processing fee every two years, and submit photographs and fingerprints at an appointment at a USCIS office.
What does DACA status provide?
-Allows the person to apply for a work permit, obtain a driver's license, and request a social security number.
-Defers deportation unless the recipient is convicted of a crime.
-Ability to legally pay and file taxes yearly.
-May attend institutions of higher education.
What does DACA status NOT provide?
-Does not provide someone with the ability to apply for a green card or citizenship.
-Not eligible to vote.
-Cannot receive Medicaid, food stamps or welfare.
-Cannot apply for federal or state financial aid for schooling.
-Some https://fusiondotnet.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/fus_map_150210.png?w=1024 states have further restrictions on tuition costs and university-provided financial aid. In the state of North Carolina, DACA recipients are not eligible for in-state tuition, regardless of how long they have resided in NC.
So what will happen when DACA ends?
DACA is being phased out, so recipients' statuses will remain valid until their expiration date. For some, this has already passed, and if no new legislation is passed, people will continue to lose status until late 2019.
For those affected by DACA, there is a lot of uncertainty. Losing protected status will mean they cannot return to school, will lose driver's licenses, and/or lose their work permits. The lives they have built over the past five-and-a-half years will no longer be the same.
A lot of detractors complain about people who are working or driving illegally. Ending DACA is not a logical solution to these problems. It will only deepen the issue when over 800,000 people are forced to return to the shadows. In response to Trump's call to action, legislation has been introduced by U.S. Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC), James Lankford (R-OK), and Orrin Hatch (R-UT). Their proposed SUCCEED Act has similar qualifications to apply as DACA. The main difference is that rather than having a two year renewal period, the SUCCEED Act posits that any recipient 18 or older is required to commit to pursuing one or a combination of three merit-based tracks: maintain gainful employment for 48 out of 60 months, earn a post-secondary/vocational degree, or serve honorably in the military for at least three years. They must also renew after every five years of intial acceptance. If, after fifteen years, the person still meets the qualifications, they must apply for a green card, a provision that DACA never offered.
Those with DACA are widely known as dreamers. These dreamers are our neighbors, friends, co-workers, classmates, and community members. The ending of the DACA program is not only affecting "immigrants," but American citizens as well. We must work together to understand each other's differences, weigh the consequences, and recognize the positive impacts that we've gained from DACA in order to create new pathways for the future.
