CAPAC on DHS Announcement for DACA Renewal Process
Washington, D.C. – Today, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released guidelines for the renewal of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. DACA, which is set to expire on September 2014, grants undocumented youth deferral from deportation and work authorization for a period of two years. Members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) released the following statements:
Congresswoman Judy Chu (CA-27), CAPAC Chair:
“I am glad to see the renewal of DACA for another two-year period. This important program has allowed over half a million undocumented youth to come out of the shadows and continue contributing to our society. Despite its successes, DACA is still a temporary fix. The only way to ensure undocumented youth are no longer treated like second class citizens is for the House to pass comprehensive immigration reform with a pathway to citizenship.
“While over 560,000 individuals received DACA in the last two years, I am still concerned about the low number of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who have applied for this program. Although approximately 8 percent of undocumented youth who are eligible for DACA are from Asia, only 2.6 percent of DACA applicants are AAPI. That is why I encourage the USCIS to increase engagement efforts with our community, and ensure undocumented AAPI youth receive the relief they need.”
Senator Mazie K. Hirono (HI):
“I commend the Department of Homeland Security for announcing the renewal of the DACA program for undocumented children. These millions of young people, including the estimated 4,000 in Hawaii who may be eligible, should be able to stay in the country they call home. The DACA program, however, is no substitute for comprehensive immigration reform. I urge House Republicans to take up the bipartisan Senate immigration bill passed more than a year ago.”
Congressman Mike Honda (CA-17), CAPAC Immigration Taskforce Co-Chair:
“I am pleased with Sec. Jeh Johnson’s announcement that undocumented youth can renew their enrollment for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. This decision will help young immigrants who arrived in the U.S. as children with parents who came looking for a better life for themselves and their families. Most were babies or young children when they arrived, and were not aware that by crossing a border they were doing anything illegal. These innocent children should not be penalized and treated as adults who have broken the law. In 2010, as a member of the DREAM Whip Group, I fought to ensure that DREAM-eligible students and other low-priority individuals are not deported. I also worked with President Obama to implement DACA, and I have continued to press his Administration and my colleagues in Congress on immigration reform. I congratulate Sec. Johnson on his leadership and stewardship of this program, and stand ready to work with him to complete the important work on comprehensive immigration reform. We are a nation of immigrants, and the diversity of thought and economic benefits they bring make us stronger as a nation.”
Congressman Eni Faleomavaega (AS), CAPAC Immigration Taskforce Co-Chair:
“While the nationwide DACA application rate for eligible youth is 56 percent, the AAPI rate is remarkably low at around 16 percent. I, along with my CAPAC colleagues, encourage members of the Asian American and Pacific Islander community to spread the word about the DACA renewal process and to continue educating our community about its benefits. I hope that all eligible AAPI youth will take full advantage of this program.”
Congressman Mark Takano (CA-41), CAPAC Whip:
“The DHS’s announcement of a process for undocumented youth to renew enrollment for DACA is an important and necessary step that will allow thousands of undocumented youth in this country to not live in fear of deportation. However, this does not preclude the need for a more comprehensive immigration reform to create a pathway to citizenship, nor does it preclude the need to expand DACA to include the millions of other undocumented individuals who have built their lives here in this country. We need to ensure that the youth aided by DACA and their families have the means to be fully American, in heart and in citizenship.”
Congressman Al Green (TX-09):
“I encourage all undocumented immigrants currently enrolled in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program to renew their enrollment in the program under the Department of Homeland Security’s recently announced process. While DACA does not solve the myriad problems of our immigration system, it does provide certainty for hundreds of thousands of individuals and their families about their status in this country. It is my hope that Congress is able to work with President Obama to pass comprehensive immigration reform that provides a pathway to citizenship and clarity for millions in this country, such that future renewals of DACA are unnecessary.”
Background:
On June 15, 2012, the Secretary of Homeland Security announced that certain people who came to the United States as children and meet certain requirements may request consideration of deferred action for a period of two years and will be eligible for work authorization. The USCIS will immediately begin accepting renewal requests for DACA on June 5, 2014, and will continue to accept new applications for the DACA program.
You can find more information about the renewal process, learn about eligibility requirements, or start the application here.
For more information about national and local DACA information sessions, visit here.
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The Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) is comprised of Members of Congress of Asian and Pacific Islander descent and Members who have a strong dedication to promoting the well-being of the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. Currently chaired by Congresswoman Judy Chu, CAPAC has been addressing the needs of the AAPI community in all areas of American life since it was founded in 1994.