What’s Next for DREAMers Now That DACA has Been Rescinded?
When President Trump rescinded the DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) program in August, it placed the lives of about 800,000 immigrants in limbo. The current administration claims that the Obama-era program, DACA, which has allowed the children of undocumented immigrants permission to attend school, work and contribute to their communities and the U.S. economy, is illegal. According to the New York Times piece, “What do dreamers do now?” the repeal of DACA would “upend the lives not only of these ‘Dreamers’ as participants are called, but also of their families, co-workers and employers.”
Politico reports some Republican Senators have been working on an immigration program that would shield Dreamers, now that the protections they enjoyed under the DACA program have been taken away, and they will begin to lose their ability to obtain work permits and protection from deportation ends in March of 2018 for thousands of young immigrants. The challenge these Senators face is that they must devise a legislative solution that would replace DACA that both the Democrats and the President will agree to.
A bipartisan plan could be derailed by “the wall”
President Trump has said that he had rescinded the DACA program to force the legislative branch into developing a permanent program that includes border security and enforcement provisions. In some ways, this is a good move: it’s better to have a law devised by the legislative branch to help protect immigrants and citizens alike. Speaker of the House Paul Ryan allegedly “conceded to a group of House conservatives on Tuesday that he plans to include a legislative fix for undocumented immigrants who came to the United States as children in a year-end spending deal,” per the Huffington Post.
But Democrats will not vote for a measure that includes funding for the border wall that the President has been promising since his campaign. President Trump, as of October 9th, is holding fast to his demand that the so-called “border wall” be a part of any legislative decisions created by Congress to protect DACA program members. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made it clear that he prioritizes the wall, too.
Walking on eggshells
Dreamers, according to the NY Times story, must trust that the information that they gave to the government in their application will not be shared with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or the Customs and Border Enforcement, which are the agencies that would deport them if not for the protections provided in DACA. Applicants gave the government the potentially incriminating information about when they entered the U.S., how long they have stayed in the country and their contact information under a promise that it would not be shared.
It looks like all that Dreamers can do now is wait and see what Congress comes up with to replace DACA, and trust the word of a president who promised to consider the DACA program with a “big heart.”
If you have are facing challenges regarding the pursuit of citizenship in the United States, a skilled Knoxville immigration lawyer from LaFevor & Slaughter can help. You are welcome to call and schedule a consultation at 685-272-4454 or complete our contact form now.
As the Managing Attorney with LaFevor & Slaughter, Jason R. Hines handles new client consultations, strategic planning and implementation and represents clients in all the Firm’s practice areas.
As an attorney practicing law in Tennessee since 2009, Jason has represented clients from all walks of life in a wide range of cases in the State and Federal Courts of Tennessee. His practice areas include divorce, family law and immigration.