An estimated 200,000 American children could lose their status in the wake of the decision to cancel the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. The Trump administration announced last month that it was to rescind the DACA program, albeit with a delay of six months. This means that program recipients could be deported from the US unless Congress, which is controlled by the Republican Party, passes legislation granting them legal status.
The uncertainty is causing fear among the almost 700,000 recipients of the DACA program, especially among those whose children have US citizenship. The program is set to expire on 5 March 2018, with 275,344 work permits due to end next year, and as many as 321,920 set to expire by August 2019. Hundreds of thousands of people will then have lost the legal right to work in the US and be eligible for deportation.
Up to 25 percent of DACA beneficiaries have kids of their own who are American citizens. This is according to a recent study conducted by the National Immigration Law Center, United We Dream, the Center for American Progress, and San Diego’s University of California.
USC San Diego’s Tom Wong, who was involved in the report, says that up to 200,000 American children likely have at least one parent who is a DACA recipient. Immigrant rights groups and lawyers are trying to help parents look at their options in preparation for the end of status and the prospect of deportation.