DACA, TPS, and four reasons why we should welcome immigrants.

Judge Alsup's January 9 ruling to block the Trump regime from ending DACA, and allowing Dreamers to stay, was a victory. But don't pop the champagne cork just yet.

DACA stands for “Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals”. Minors who were brought to the U.S. Illegally are affected by DACA. This group, called Dreamers, has been allowed to stay in the U.S. even though they came in illegally, because they were children at the time of arrival, and should not be held responsible for their parents' act. Many Dreamers did not know they did not have legal immigration status until they were grown and faced with grown up things, such as college, financial aid, job hunting, and, even getting a driver's license.

Trump ended DACA renewals. Judge Alsup's order blocked Trump's end to DACA, but only ended it temporarily and only with some additional hoops to jump through. Trump and his Department of Justice will likely appeal Judge Alsup's order, and may well request a stay in upholding the order pending a final ruling. Also, the ruling gives USCIS time to begin accepting DACA renewals again. I was not able to find out when that will happen.

Also this month, the Trump regime ended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for immigrants from El Salvador. This at the same time as the state department issued travel advisories to El Salvador because of its crime rate and is now listed as unsafe. Safe enough to deport people to – not safe enough to visit. The removal of protected status affects about 200,000 refugees from El Salvador who have been told to find another way to stay in the U.S. or face deportation.

And or January 9, Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) raided ninety-eight 7-11 stores in search of illegal immigrants. The raids yielded a whopping 21 arrests. I wonder what that cost the tax payers. The convenience store raids were apparently meant to punish employers who ignore the rules about hiring illegal immigrants.

1. Immigrants help keep the work force young. The U.S. does not want to be an aging nation with an aging work force. The largest group of U.S. residents is baby boomers, and those boomers are getting old. We need new young people to work to keep the economy growing and vibrant.
2. Immigrants help keep the birth rate high. The lower the mother's educational level the more babies she will have. The U.S. needs more babies to grow up and become the next work force.
3. Humanitarian. Allowing immigrants into America is the right thing to do. We have the physical space. There is no reason to keep our beautiful country to ourselves.
4. The U.S. Is a country of immigrants. Most natural born U.S. citizens cannot trace their family origins in the U.S. more than a couple of generations back.

I support immigration and have little tolerance for illegal immigration. In general, I believe if people want to come to the U.S. they should come legally or not at all. But, I also recognize extenuating circumstances. Some people are eligible but unable to pay the fees. For that reason, we created our FALDP Get Documented Initiative. Our document preparers can refer people for a low interest loan to cover their immigration needs. The available loan amount is between $700 and $20,000, and is based on the consumer's banking history.

Dream Deferrals

It has to be scary to walk into a field office of the United States Customs and Immigration Service, knowing full well you are in the United States illegally and ask to stay. I'm a natural born U.S. Citizen and I can only imagine the fear. To me, illegal immigration has always been a non-issue. My ancestors are Native American, and Dutch on my mother's side; and my father's side is English and Irish. I grew up in the era of baby boomer entitlement well aware that this country is the great melting pot, and proud of it.

I've been in the Tampa field office, and the one in Orlando – both intimidating places. Adults talk in low tones, children sit quietly. Everyone watches each other.

Posted on the USCIS website:

“On June 15, 2012, the Secretary of Homeland Security announced that certain people who came to the United States as children and meet several key guidelines may request consideration of deferred action for a period of two years, subject to renewal, and would then be eligible for work authorization. Deferred action is a discretionary determination to defer removal action of an individual as an act of prosecutorial discretion. Deferred action does not provide an individual with lawful status.”

DACA – Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals is an abbreviated version of the Dream Act that became mired in controversy and never passed. DACA is for the children who came to the United States illegally, mostly with their parents and now they have grown up in the states and it is their home. Imagine the six year old who came to the United States holding his mother's hand, wide eyed and scared, trusting in his parents promise of a better life and a better future. And found it. Families from other countries found their promised land, their better life in America.

The requirements as posted on the USCIS site, to apply to stay through DACA are simple and clear:

Guidelines

You may request consideration of deferred action for childhood arrivals if you:

1. Were under the age of 31 as of June 15, 2012;
2. Came to the United States before reaching your 16th birthday;
3. Have continuously resided in the United States since June 15, 2007, up to the present time;
4. Were physically present in the United States on June 15, 2012, and at the time of making your request for consideration of deferred action with USCIS;
5. Entered without inspection before June 15, 2012, or your lawful immigration status expired as of June 15, 2012;
6. Are currently in school, have graduated or obtained a certificate of completion from high school, have obtained a general education development (GED) certificate, or are an honorably discharged veteran of the Coast Guard or Armed Forces of the United States; and
7. Have not been convicted of a felony, significant misdemeanor, three or more other misdemeanors, and do not otherwise pose a threat to national security or public safety.

There are three main forms that must be filed:

Form I-821D – the application for deferred action for childhood arrivals
Form I – 765 – the application for work authorization.

Form I-765WS – the application for work authorization work sheet.

According to an online article published on November 23, 2012, on http://www.newshour24.com -

“After the first month of the program, 82,000 applications had been filed with USCIS. By Nov. 15 – the program's three-month mark – 300,000 applications had been filed, marking steady growth.” And, according to the Migration Policy Institute, www.migrationpolicy.org , approximately 140,000 Florida residents can benefit from this new policy.

I believe that this legislation is humane and fair.