I Still Feel Strongly About DACA – Deferred Action

I have had many people over the past months ask me if they should apply for DACA. I have always told them the same thing and I continue to believe it to be true. Yes, you should apply if you qualify. Yes, you should take advantage of the opportunity that it gives you. It is time that you come out and start participating as a member of our society. I realize that you do not receive legal status by applying and being granted deferred action, but it is a step in the right direction. This morning in an article by NPR “Deferred Action: A Bird In Hand For Young Immigrants” they state that “As Congress continues its debate over immigration reform, nearly a half-million young people who are in the U.S. illegally have already applied for deferred action.”

“The Obama administration started the policy, formally known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, last year for people who were brought into the U.S. illegally as children. Those who are approved gain the right to work or study and avoid deportation for two years. Still, of the estimated 1.7 million undocumented youths who are believed to be eligible, more than a million have yet to apply for deferred action.”

Laura Lichter, President of the American Immigration Lawyers Association says, “Better the bird in hand, and for many undocumented youth, that’s still deferred action.”

We need to make use of what is offered now, understanding the risks and limitations, and hope for full immigration reform in the near future.http://www.npr.org/blogs/codeswitch/2013/04/23/178669698/Deferred-Action-A-Bird-In-Hand-For-Young-Immigrants