Overview
On September 5, 2017, the Trump Administration announced its intention to end to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program created under President Obama in 2012. Since its inception, DACA has protected nearly 800,000 young adult undocumented immigrants from deportation and allowed them to work and enroll in school legally. Subsequently, the rescinding of DACA may affect employment social enterprises and their employees.
While no new DACA applications will be accepted, existing DACA permits remain valid until their expiry dates. Those holding permits with expiration dates between September 5th, 2017 and March 5th, 2018 had until October 5th, 2017 to submit for renewal.
Resources
Below are some resources for social enterprises and their employees who may be affected – REDF will continue to keep this page updated as more information is available:
About DACA and employment published by the National Immigration Law Center. While directed at employees, not employers, the content may be useful for job coaches or employment specialists working with those on DACA.
What to do if immigration comes to your workplace published by the National Employment Law Project. This guide extends beyond DACA to broader ICE enforcement at places of employment.
Know your rights published by the National Immigration Law Center. Outlines rights that all individuals have guaranteed under the US Constitution, regardless of immigration status.
US Department of Justice list of pro bono legal service providers or the “List” (formerly known as the “List of Free Legal Services Providers”) is provided to individuals in immigration proceedings.
A portrait of deferred action for childhood arrivals recipients: challenges and opportunities three-years later. The results of this 2015 study add to the growing body of research about DACA that will help UWD and other organizations better understand the lives of undocumented immigrant youth and their families.
Center for American Progress study and call to action. From August 1, 2017 to August 20, 2017, Tom K. Wong of the University of California, San Diego; United We Dream (UWD); the National Immigration Law Center (NILC); and the Center for American Progress fielded a national survey to further analyze the economic, employment, educational, and societal experiences of DACA recipients. This is the largest study to date of DACA recipients with a sample size of 3,063 respondents in 46 states as well as the District of Columbia.
NELP DACA Fact Sheet. There are a lot of unfounded and politically motivated rumors about what DACA is and who it protects. Check out this fact sheet to learn the facts and push back against hurtful and untrue information about the program.
Additional Resources
