What’s next for Dreamers? 7 things to know if you’re a DACA recipient
Esmeralda Fabián Romero | September 7, 2017
Your donation will help us produce journalism like this. Please give today.
The day Dreamers have feared became a reality on Tuesday when the Trump Administration decided to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. Starting this week, DACA recipients, known as Dreamers, will lose their protections when their permits expire unless Congress acts before the program ends in March.
What does the end of DACA mean for Dreamers? Allison Davenport, staff attorney with the Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC), said in a press call Thursday that these are the seven things they should know:
- You are protected from deportation and can continue working until your permit expires.
- If you are eligible to renew your permit for another two years, you can do so but must start the process by Oct. 5.
- New applications for DACA benefits are no longer accepted as of now. If you applied for the first time before Sept. 5, your application will be processed normally.
- Get legal advice. You may be eligible for other immigration protections such as a U visa, or if you have a family member, spouse or child who is a U.S. citizen, they can request permanent residency for you. If you have an immediate family member in the military, that person can also request a green card for you.
- Be careful about fraudulent legal representation. You can search for reliable legal immigration services in your area at immigrationadvocates.org.
- If you have been convicted of a crime, you are ineligible to renew your DACA protection.
- International travel permits or Advance Parole will no longer be approved, including those that were in process. It is not recommended to travel out of the country even if your DACA permit is still valid.
For more information on how Tuesday’s DACA decision affects your immigration status, review the official memo.