Immigrant advocates have clarified that the recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program need not fear immediate deportation from the US following the Trump administration’s decision to end the program. Last week, the Immigrant Legal Resource Center’s staff attorney, Alison Davenport, said in a press call that those with approved cases and current work permits still have valid protection until their expiry date, unless they are immediately revoked and terminated.
US immigration is no longer accepting applications for the deferred action program. But, those whose applications had been filed by 5 September – the day the decision to end the program was announced by President Donald Trump – will see their cases processed as normal, according to Davenport.
Current recipients of the program will still be able to renew their status if it expires in the next six months, although such renewals must be handed in by 5 October. Cases that expire from 6 March next year or after will no longer be renewed. Those whose DACA grant has not expired are still protected from deportation and allowed to legally work in the US unless their status is lost for reasons such as illegal activity.
Davenport, together with advocates from Asian Americans Advancing Justice, and the National Immigration Law Center, are advising recipients to seek qualified legal assistance, as they may be eligible for different immigration benefits. Legal challenges against the termination of DACA are already underway.