After rejecting almost 100 applications for deferred action renewals because they were delayed due to the mail, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) claimed last week that the decision was final, but reversed its position on Wednesday night, announcing that those applicants could resubmit their entries.
Elaine C Duke, the acting director of the Department of Homeland Security, has instructed the immigration agency to enable applicants to submit their paperwork again, providing they can prove their initial renewal was sent on time and only missed the deadline of 5 October due to delays in the Postal Service. Issued on Wednesday night by the Department, the guideline has pleased immigration advocates.
Camille Mackler, the director of legal immigration policy at the immigrant advocacy group, the New York Immigration Policy, says they are pleased that USCIS has done the right thing and accepted the applications. She called it news that will bring great relief to recipients of the deferred action program who have been living in fear for the last few weeks. The New York Times last week reported that the delayed applications had been rejected, with at least 74 from Chicago and New York rejected because of mail difficulties caused by the Postal Service in Chicago.
Lawyers in New York then said that 18 of the 34 applications in Chicago arrived at USCIS on 5 October, but that the agency did not accept them until the following day.