by Ally Bolour, Esq. – Law Offices of Ally Bolour, APC
It is now official. Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals – or DACA – is officially on the chopping block in Washington.
According to Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) – who met with Secretary of Homeland Security, John Kelly, it is just a matter of time before the Trump Administration attempts to implement its dream (and a campaign promise) of mass deportation of undocumented individuals – including those currently protected under the DACA program, otherwise known as Dreamers.
As you may be aware, random ICE raids are already happening all over the country, including right here in California. However up until now, DACA recipients and those protected under TPS (Temporary Protected Status) were mostly spared. Sadly, that is no longer the case. Rep. Luis Gutierrez has issued the following statement on this matter:
“I think we have to prepare for the worst and get ready to fight mass deportation. We showed up at airports to fight the Muslim and Refugee Ban and now DREAMers and people who have lived here legally for decades with TPS are in imminent danger. Trump, Sessions and Kelly want to take 800,000 DREAMers with DACA and hundreds of thousands with TPS who are registered with the government and in compliance with the law and make them into criminals, felons, and deportees in the next few months.”
Secretary Kelly’s position is that his agency is simply enforcing the law – and that if people don’t like the law, they should ask Congress to change it. Secretary Kelly’s comments are ignorant at best, and disingenuous at worst. It is well within his Department’s discretionary authority not to deport Dreamers or those with TPS. Also since the entire federal government is controlled by his Republican party – they own this problem. Congress could easily sign onto an existing Democratic legislation, which has been pending for years, to fully legalize DACA recipients. The Republican majority however is instead focused on building a wall & separating families and communities.
Democrats are already on board. We need to put pressure on the Republican lawmakers, by calling their offices to let them know how devastating their plans will be for our families and communities. Visit www.house.gov and www.senate.gov to voice your concerns.
If you need to speak to an immigration attorney – please feel free to call our Los Angeles office at (323) 857-0034.