Editor,
In February, I held a special town hall in Half Moon Bay called “DACA Diaries” to highlight the extraordinary young Bay Area immigrants who came to the United States as children and received protection through Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. Their stories exemplify an undeniable truth: DACA recipients are Americans in every way except on paper.
Yet, hundreds of thousands of these young immigrants could lose the chance to renew their deferred status if they do not apply soon.
Since the Trump administration cruelly and unceremoniously canceled DACA in September 2017, federal courts in California, New York and Washington, D.C., issued preliminary injunctions forcing the administration to continue processing renewal applications. Together, these court orders opened a window for the over 800,000 young immigrants who previously applied for and received deferred status to renew their protections. However, a federal court in Texas seems poised to issue a contradictory order directing U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to stop accepting renewal applications.
Conflicting court orders would almost certainly elevate the battle over to the Supreme Court. In the interim, USCIS could stop accepting and adjudicating renewal applications. The window could be closing for DACA recipients to renew their status. All former and current DACA recipients should immediately consult with an attorney or nonprofit legal representative. My office can provide resources. Courts have provided relief for DACA recipients, but this is temporary and limited to only a portion of the total DACA-eligible population. Hundreds of thousands of young immigrants brought to the United States at an early age never applied for or received DACA and are not eligible for deferred status now.
Temporary or limited protection is not enough. These young immigrants know no other home. All DACA-eligible individuals deserve the type of permanent stability only Congress can provide. It is long past time that we live up to our own legacy and pass a clean, permanent DACA solution.
Jackie Speier
Hillsborough
The letter writer represents District 14 in the U.S. House of Representatives.
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(3) comments
I just wish Jackie and all the other California politicians we pay cared about our citizens as much as they care about people in our country illegally. The Trump administration is putting an end to illegal immigration and enforcing Federal Law. This is why he won the presidency as the electorate is sick and tired of being ignored and watching our laws ignored. DACA recipients are not Americans and it is a slap in the face when our politicians say they are. Zero tolerance is the name of the game right now and the federal government controls the jurisdiction, not California. Build the Wall!!!!
As another responder noted, Ms. Speier seems far more dedicated to helping illegal immigrants than to helping American citizens. She really should consider resigning and moving to Mexico so that she can be among her fans.
There is widespread agreement among young people about Trump, with more than 7 in 10 saying he “doesn’t reflect my personal values.”
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