Advice is being given to undocumented immigrants who arrived in the US as minors. Known as Dreamers, these people have received protection from deportation by the deferred action taken by President Barack Obama as an executive order. Several advocates have issued advice for the Dreamers to avoid traveling outside the country once Donald Trump takes over the White House on 20 January next year.
Many universities, lawyers, and immigration advocates are worried that the Obama program, which enabled young undocumented immigrants to work and leave the country for educational, employment, or humanitarian purposes, might be immediately rescinded when Trump assumes the Presidency next month. This would, potentially, result in the prevention of some undocumented immigrant travelers returning to the US. Angelica Salas, executive director of The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles, says that they recommend Dreamers to complete all travel before 20 January 2017, in the anticipation that there is a dramatic change to procedures and laws.
Illegal immigration was key to the Trump election campaign, as he promised to deport millions of undocumented immigrants and build a wall on the border between the US and Mexico. His actual plans, once he assumes the Presidency, remain uncertain.
In a recent interview with TIME magazine, Trump appeared sympathetic towards the 741,000 undocumented immigrants included in the deferred action program. He suggested that they would not be subjected to his harsher stance on illegal immigration. Advocates, though, remain cautious about what to expect in January.