There are so many things wrong with what Attorney General Sessions said today when announcing the end of DACA. He’s equated DACA with an “open borders policy;” says that DACA-recipients have taken the jobs that Americans could fill (yet, those Americans could have applied for those same positions and have been hired had they been the better candidate), he equated DACA to lawlessness; he called DACA an “amnesty program.” So many falsehoods here.
Regardless of these alternative facts, we have to think about what to do next. We cannot look backward. We are still waiting for official FAQs to be released. Here’s what we know about the wind-down of the DACA program:
- Will adjudicate all pending DACA cases filed as of September 5, 2017. Even if you have a pending initial application, your case may still be approved.
- All renewal requests must be in by October 5, 2017, but current DACA grant must expire on or before March 5, 2018.
- All current DACA grants remain valid.
- Advance Parole for DACA recipients will not be granted after today. For those with pending I-131 filings, USCIS will refund their filing fees.
- For those already granted Advance Parole, they are allowed to travel as outlined in the approval notice.
We don’t anticipate that anyone will go door-to-door to apprehend DACA-recipients once their DACA status expires, but that still remains to be seen.
The Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC), has put together resources in Spanish and English talking about what to do and what your rights are as a DACA recipient.
It’s now up to Congress to save Dreamers. We have six months to get legislation passed and to the President. Call your elected representatives and tell them that Dreamers deserve to be here and to contribute to our society. If you’re not sure what to say, here’s a sample script:
If calling the Senate: I’m calling to express my support for S. 1615, the DREAM Act, and the thousands of Dreamers who contribute to our society. I urge Senator —- to support this legislative solution to protecting the DACA program and the hundreds of thousands of people who rely on it for access to jobs, education, and security.
If calling the House: I’m calling to express my support for H.R. 3591, the American Hope Act, and the thousands of Dreamers who contribute to our society. I urge Representative —-to support this legislative solution to protecting the DACA program and the hundreds of thousands of people who rely on it for access to jobs, education, and security.
We will not give up this fight – in fact, the fight has just begun.
-Tracie