The recent US federal court ruling in Houston has had implications for the DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) program, affecting hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants, including many Indians
Here’s a summary of the key points from the article reported by m.rediff.com.
Ruling by US District Court Judge Andrew Hanen: On September 13, Judge Andrew Hanen declared illegal a federal policy that prevented the deportation of undocumented immigrants brought to the US as children. However, he allowed the government to continue processing renewals for current DACA recipients.
Continuation of DACA for Some Recipients: The court’s decision allowed DACA to continue for individuals who received their initial DACA status before July 16, 2021. This means that the government can process and grant DACA renewal applications for these individuals.
Dreamers’ Deportation Protections and Work Permits: Judge Hanen did not order the termination of deportation protections and work permits for nearly 580,000 Dreamers (DACA recipients).
-
Overall, this court ruling has both positive and negative implications for DACA recipients, particularly those who received their initial status before July 16, 2021
-
It underscores the ongoing debate and legal challenges surrounding immigration policies in the United States
Number of Indians Affected: According to a 2019 report by South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT), there are at least 630,000 undocumented Indians in the United States. This represents a 72 percent increase since 2010. As of August 2018, there were around 2,550 active Indian DACA recipients.
Low DACA Application Rate: The report by SAALT noted that only 13 percent of the overall 20,000 DACA-eligible Indians had applied for and received DACA.
DACA Background: DACA was implemented in 2012, allowing hundreds of thousands of immigrants who came to the US as children to live and work in the country without the fear of deportation, provided they met specific requirements.
White House Reaction: The White House expressed disappointment with the court’s ruling and reaffirmed its commitment to defending the DACA policy from legal challenges. They also called on Congress to provide permanent protection for Dreamers.
Secretary of Homeland Security’s Statement: Secretary Alejandro N Mayorkas expressed disappointment with the ruling and highlighted that while it preserved protection for current DACA recipients, it created uncertainty for more than half a million Dreamers.
Overall, this court ruling has both positive and negative implications for DACA recipients, particularly those who received their initial status before July 16, 2021. It underscores the ongoing debate and legal challenges surrounding immigration policies in the United States.
****************************************************
Readers
These are extraordinary times. All of us have to rely on high-impact, trustworthy journalism. And this is especially true of the Indian Diaspora. Members of the Indian community overseas cannot be fed with inaccurate news.
Pravasi Samwad is a venture that has no shareholders. It is the result of an impassioned initiative of a handful of Indian journalists spread around the world. We have taken the small step forward with the pledge to provide news with accuracy, free from political and commercial influence. Our aim is to keep you, our readers, informed about developments at ‘home’ and across the world that affect you.
Please help us to keep our journalism independent and free.
In these difficult times, to run a news website requires finances. While every contribution, big or small, will makes a difference, we request our readers to put us in touch with advertisers worldwide. It will be a great help.
For more information: pravasisamwad00@gmail.com
