President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that the administration is putting an end to former President Barack Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (Daca) program.
The decision sparked fear among the nearly 800,000 immigrants who lived illegally in the United States since childhood, as they are now subject to removal once their government-issued permits expire under the program. However, the fate of the DACA recipients, known as the “DREAMERS” is yet to be determined, and work permits will not be revoked for at least six months in order to give Congress time to act regarding the decision.
Key information for dreamers
The news that created a serious split among Republican lawmakers will not take effect immediately. In fact, it will not be fully phased out until March 2020. This is because the Trump administration will still renew two-year work permits as necessary. Once they stop, however, they will no longer be accepting new applications.
The Department of Homeland Security will also recognize the DACA authorizations until their expiration dates, which means that the program ends at different times for different recipients. Those with permits set to expire before March 5, 2018, can also apply for a two-year renewal of their work permits as long as they apply before October 5.
In a statement, Trump said that it is in the best interest of the U.S.
to begin an “orderly transition” that will wind down DACA with as little disruption as possible. He also noted that he is not just cutting DACA off. Rather, he is providing a window for the Congress to finally act. He also remarked on the cutting of the program to make way for a “lawful democratic process” that ensures any immigration reform adopted in the future provides enduring benefits for American citizens.
If Congress fails to act about the DACA issue, dreamers will not be a high priority for deportation; however, they will be issued notices to appear in immigration court if they are encountered by officers. The DHS also has no plans of using their personal information to aid in deportation operations unless they become an immediate threat to national security.
DACA met with protests
The news was not met with as much positivity from politicians, civic leaders, and even business executives, who spoke out against the move. Among those who protested included the Mexican government, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, the Catholic Charities of New York, and even former President Obama.
In a lengthy Facebook post, Obama called the move “cruel,” adding that the issue is “about basic decency.”
