ORLANDO, Fla. — On Tuesday, the Trump administration announced in a memo it will reject new applicants for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program — and make renewals annual rather than every two years.
5 Things to Know
- Patrice Johnson, an Orlando immigration lawyer, said the annual renewal fee could deter anyone from doing so. The current DACA renewal fee is $495. Johnson also said June’s U.S. Supreme Court decision did not indicate the Trump administration could add a memo to DACA.
- The Trump administration hasn’t accepted any new DACA applications since 2017, when it rescinded the program.
- Frank Torres, a Republican political analyst, said the timing of the announcement is confusing; there are fewer than 100 days from the presidential election. “If he’s interested in earning any of the votes, specifically from Hispanic voters in November, he’s taking a step backward with his confusing actions from his administration,” Torres said.
- The memo also states all pending or new applications for advance parole, which permits DACA recipients to leave the country and potentially re-enter, will be rejected. Before the memo, advance parole applications could be granted if the application falls under three categories — humanitarian, educational, or employment.
- Ivan Vazquez, a DACA recipient, said he may no longer see his ailing grandmother in Mexico now. “Advanced parole is not an option, and with this political climate, I wouldn’t even risk it, as much as I want to visit my grandma in case she passes away,” Vazquez said.