Jobs permits for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients are being affected as renewals are being delayed in Arizona. DACA protects certain people who came to the United States as children from deportation, provided they meet specific guidelines. The program also grants work authorization.
According to immigrant advocates, actions by the current administration and increased vetting procedures have led to delays in approving work permit renewals for DACA recipients. Advocates say the issue is affecting recipients nationwide, including in Arizona. The delays are also causing some DACA recipients to lose their jobs due to expiring work permits.
Delia Salvatierra, an attorney at Salvatierra Law Group, joined “Arizona Horizon” to discuss the state of DACA work permit renewals in Arizona.
“The program is in limbo. They’re not issuing work authorizations as quickly,” Salvatierra said. “Folks are losing their ability to drive lawfully and their ability to work because employers do not want to retain someone on staff that has a pending authorization application. They want the individual to provide proof that they’re eligible.”
Recipients are required to submit their renewals every two years and they must remain in good standing with no criminal history. The renewal process would take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months at most. Now, the process could take several months, sometimes extending past the expiration date for some renewals.
“What I’m telling folks is that they have to apply six months ahead of time, so 180 days, before their permit expires. They often call concerned because they don’t want to break the law, they don’t want to drive and they don’t want to work without status,” said Salvatierra. “It’s devastating. It’s their ability to pay their mortgage, their ability to send their kids to school… groceries! These are resilient folk and they’ve known for a very long time that DACA has been on this administration’s chopping block.”
