CASA, the nation’s largest advocacy group for Latino immigrants, said it will begin processing renewal requests by DREAMers to stay in the U. S.
An immigrant advocacy group said it will help DREAMers cut bureaucratic red tape starting Monday after the government announced it will again accept renewal requests from recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.
CASA, the nation’s largest advocacy group for Latino immigrants, said Sunday that its legal department will begin making appointments and processing paperwork for the federal program that provides temporary protection from deportation to hundreds of thousands of undocumented migrants brought to the U. S. as children.
Last week, a federal judge in California ruled that President Trump acted improperly by planning to end DACA in March. Late Saturday, the Department of Homeland Security said it would comply with the judge’s ruling and allow the program to continue while lawsuits make their way through the courts.
Immigration groups warned that DACA’s fate could change again if the Trump administration successfully appeals the judge’s decision.
„This might also be a short window to file #DACA renewals given feds are likely to appeal,“ tweeted Marielena Hincapie, executive director of the National Immigration Law Center. „Use this weekend to get well-informed re requirements & prepare your renewal #DACA application.“
Trump has expressed support for legislation to allow DREAMers to stay in the U. S. but wants it linked to funding a wall on the border with Mexico. He also wants immigration based more on merit, with rules tightened that allow U. S. citizens and residents to bring in relatives overseas.
Trump, who railed against the judicial system after the judge’s decision, went after congressional Democrats on Sunday.
„DACA is probably dead because the Democrats don’t really want it, they just want to talk and take desperately needed money away from our Military,“ Trump tweeted Sunday. „I, as President, want people coming into our Country who are going to help us become strong and great again, people coming in through a system based on MERIT. No more Lotteries! #AMERICA FIRST.“
Trump’s tweet drew a response from Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill.: „Republicans and Democrats negotiated in good faith to reach a deal that gives you what you asked for in front of the country on Tuesday. It’s time to lead and support the bipartisan deal.“
A bipartisan group of Republican and Democratic senators have been working on a compromise, even announcing last week they had reached a tentative agreement on a bill that would include border security.
Negotiations bogged down, however, amid reports that Trump told lawmakers he would rather have more immigrants from Norway and fewer from „shithole countries“ including Haiti and some African nations. Trump admitted on Twitter to using „tough“ language at the meeting, but appeared to deny using the phrase.
Durbin, the only Democrat at the meeting, confirmed the comments. Republicans at the meeting mostly have declined to discuss the talks in detail. House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., called Trump’s remarks „unhelpful.“
The remarks drew condemnation from a group of African ambassadors to the United Nations who called them “outrageous, racist and xenophobic” and demanded a retraction and apology.
The chaos surrounding the fate of DREAMers has put on edge both the immigrants involved and the advocacy groups that support them. Gustavo Torres, executive director of CASA, warned that Trump’s immigration overhaul plans are a „manifestation of his racist views.“
“We don’t know how this will play out in the next couple of weeks, but we are glad (the federal government) is ready to follow the rule of law,“ Torres said about the decision to process DACA renewals. „We are getting to work as soon as possible Monday morning.“
