WASHINGTON – Shortly after the five year anniversary of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals or DACA, President Donald Trump’s administration announced the end of the DAPA program. DAPA was an executive order signed by President Barack Obama to give undocumented parents of U.S. citizens or permanent residents a legal avenue to stay in the country and work. It never was implemented because the order was stopped by federal courts.
In the announcement of DAPA’s termination, the Department of Homeland Security also announced that DACA will remain in effect but that no long term decision has been made about the program. According to DHS data about 1.5 million people have been approved for DACA since the program began in 2012. Still questions remain as to the fate of the program since President Trump campaigned on a promise to eliminate DACA.
Since taking office Trump has been quoted as saying his administration is “not after the DREAMers, we’re after criminals.”
In a recent interview with CNN, Florida Republican Senator Marco Rubio spoke about what he thinks should happen to the program.
“I do think DACA is going to have to come to an end at some point because I do believe it’s unconstitutional,” Rubio said. “I also believe it should be replaced. It comes to an end because it’s replaced by something that’s constitutional.”
Rubio spoke about the complexity of DREAMers because many of them have little memory of their country of birth.
“If you were brought here as a young child, have grown up in this country. Have a lot to contribute to our future, it doesn’t make a lot of sense, after years of investing in you through our public education system and the like, to send you to a country that you perhaps no memory of,” Rubio said.
Another concern for Rubio is he said abruptly ending the program would negatively affect the economy.
“To simply yank it away from people who have those permits now will be very disruptive not just to them but to the places they work for example. A lot of these young people are now actual employees and working for people,” Rubio said.
The Florida Senator told CNN the right way to handle these complex immigration issues is through legislation.
The Trump administration is still accepting and renewing DACA applications. FileRight.com can help you fill out the complicated paperwork.
To check if you are eligible, take our free quiz.