Immigrants rights advocates reflect on DACA, nine years later

by

Ashley Norwood

• Published on June 17, 2021 • Comments

In this Nov. 12, 2019, file photo people rally outside the Supreme Court as oral arguments are heard in the case of President Trump's decision to end the Obama-era, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA), at the Supreme Court in Washington.
AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

This week marks nine years since the Obama administration created the DACA program. While the program's fate is unknown, advocates for immigrants rights say recipients in Mississippi are making valuable contributions to the state.

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The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program applies to immigrants who were brought to the U.S. prior to 2007 and before reaching the age of 16. DACA shields those immigrants from deportation as long as they meet a set of criteria such as attending and graduating from school and having no felony convictions.

Eligibility through DACA permits recipients to sign up for health insurance, work legally and get a driver's license.

Patricia Ice with the Mississippi Immigrants Alliance says DACA has made a major impact in the lives of some immigrants and their families.

"Many of them are the main breadwinners in their households because some of them have undocumented parents," said Ice.

"And so the parents may be able to work but basically they're working underground. But a young person in the house who is a DACA recipient can work legally, can drive legally, and it's just extremely helpful for them," said Ice.

Despite support from the current administration and studies showing a majority of Americans in favor of DACA, the future of the program is uncertain. A program that's subject to judicial review, Ice says they're concerned about the future.

"The fact that Donald Trump has appointed the last three Supreme Court Justices, we are concerned about what the Supreme Court will do if they receive a DACA case," said Ice.

Ice says they hope the current administration will extend eligibility for DACA to people who did not come into the U.S. prior to 2007.

Currently, 1,000 immigrants in Mississippi are DACA recipients. Ice says more information on how to apply for the DACA program is available by dialing 769-208-5770.