By Yashnoor Kaur and Serena Lin
In the wake of the recent political and environmental turmoil, it may be difficult to focus on one particular incident. However, the recent rescinding of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program has a broad effect on the nation.
Recently, we sent out a survey to the Upper School and asked people to rate on a scale of one to ten (one was least informed; 10 was most informed) how well they felt they’d been informed on DACA. With a five being “you’ve briefly heard of it on the news,” 37 percent answered with a five or lower, and 23 percent answered with a one.
This article is in response to the revelation that many upper school students seem unsure of what exactly the program is, and what the ramifications of its cancellation are.
What is DACA?
The DACA program was put into place by former President Barack Obama in June 2012. It issues a work permit to immigrants without lawful status who had arrived before the age of 16 and have lived in the United States since 2007.
According to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, program recipients “have not been convicted of a felony, significant misdemeanor, or three or more other misdemeanors.” If they do commit a crime, they go through typical criminal procedure. They also are currently in school, have graduated or otherwise completed an equivalent certificate, or are an honorably discharged veteran.
Recipients of DACA benefit from civil rights that legal residents of the United States enjoy, such as obtaining a driver’s license, enrolling in college, and working formal jobs. They are required by law to file taxes.
DACA is not a pathway to citizenship, although some recipients have obtained citizenship through other measures, such as marrying a U.S. citizen. The program only allows for recipients to remain in the U.S. legally for two years. After that period has passed, they have to apply for a renewal. Homeland Security must have confirmed that the recipient has committed no crimes.
Why are we talking about this now?
On September 5, 2017, President Trump ordered an end to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program and urged Congress to pass a replacement before he begins phasing out its protections in six months. Although on the campaign trail President Trump had vowed that he would “immediately terminate” DACA if elected, the administration had indicated that it may take a softer stance. The administration took action against the program only after 10 state attorneys asked the president to dismantle DACA and gave him an ultimatum. As of March 2017, there are a little under 800,000 DACA recipients in the United States.
How is New Jersey affected by DACA?
According to the USCIS, as of March 31, 2017, New Jersey has 22,024 initial applicants who were approved as DACA recipients. New Jersey has the ninth largest population of recipients. The Institution on Taxation and Economic Policy states that DACA recipients contribute about 66 million dollars in state and local taxes.
According to U.S. Representative Donald Norcross, there are 75 students who are “undocumented or protected by DACA” at Rutgers University Camden. The president of Rutgers University, Robert Barchi, made a statement in support of DACA recipients at Rutgers, saying that rescinding the program would be “wrong, unwise, and inconsistent with American values.” He also urged students to contact their congressional representatives.
What is the future of DACA?
The fate of recipients if the program is overturned is still in limbo. As a part of the application for DACA, they had to provide proof of their continuous residence in the United States and information on where they had worked, gone to school, and lived. The Department of Homeland Security has stated that such information “will not be proactively provided to ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] and CBP [Customs and Border Protection] for the purpose of immigration enforcement proceedings.” For recipients whose entire lives are in the United States, the risk of deportation is serious. They typically have never been outside of the country, and may have to leave behind spouses and children. Even as immigration advocates work to protect DACA recipients, it’s unclear what their long-term future holds. As the situation develops, only one thing is clear: nothing is set in stone.
