Immigrants in New York State fear outcome of DACA.

March 5th, 2018, can be a day of extreme trepidation for an estimated 800,000 unauthorized immigrants nationwide. The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA) is set to expire after President Trump rescinded the program Obama put in place during his time in office. These immigrants are known as Dreamers, who contribute to the economy, their communities, and the stability of the country. However, they now face deportation if lawmakers cannot generate an alternative solution for their protection.

In New York State immigrants make up 22% of the population. The highest number of immigrants can be found in New York City, the Hudson Valley, and on Long Island. Between 2010 and 2015, 75% of over 600,000 individuals immigrating to New York settled in New York City. DREAM is an acronym for Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors. The DREAM Act is a legislative proposal that will benefit illegal minors in the United States. First, it will grant conditional residency immediately. Further qualifications include, being younger than 18 on their initial entry to the US, proof of arrival before the age of 16, proof of residency for at least 4 consecutive years since their arrival, be between the ages 12 and 35 during the bills enactment, hold a high school diploma, be enrolled in higher education, and be of good moral character.

Permanent residency can be achieved after having obtained and held conditional residency status. Also, the individual will have six years to meet the following criteria. They must have attended an institute of higher learning, enlist in the United States military for two years, pass a series of background checks, and continue good moral character.

New York Democrat Chuck Schumer hightailed to Twitter to accuse the President of using his proposed path to citizenship for young immigrants to make changes to the legal immigration system. His tweet read, “While @realDonaldTrump finally acknowledged that the Dreamers should be allowed to stay here and become citizens, he uses them as a tool to tear apart our legal system and adopt a wish list that anti-immigration hardliners have advocated for years.”

Rockland County Executive Ed Day held a press conference to reassure Rockland residents to not live in fear. “We know there has been an increasing level of anxiety among some immigrants in Rockland County who are undocumented, we want to reassure all that nothing has changed despite the debate and rhetoric in Washington that the county does not enforce federal law,” said Day.

Washington Square Park, NYC

Washington Square Park, NYC

Washington Square Park, NYC

Catholic Charities and the Spring Valley Branch NAACP hold free New York legal clinics for immigrants who are worried about deportation. Individuals can receive free immigration legal consultations, free application assistance, services, and resources for families, and know your rights training during unexpected encounters with ICE.