The temporary protected status of El Salvadorans is expected to be lifted, a 17-years program that has allowed 200,000 immigrants to live in the U.S. without fear of deportation.
Not only do those currently protected under the special status risk being labeled as undocumented again, but they will be subject to deportation, says Larry Levi Sandigo of American Immigration Lawyers Association.
The temporary protected status has been in place since 2001. Immigrants who had children in the States will have to choose between separating their family or moving everyone to the country that is still invested with crime.
El Salvador has also told America that they are not economically ready to reintroduce 200,000 people back into the country. There are no jobs for them and the crime rate continues to be at an alarming high.
JOSE CARDENAS: GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO “HORIZONTE," A FEDERAL JUDGE BLOCKS PRESIDENT TRUMP'S MOVE TO END THE DACA PROGRAM.
VIDEO: THE STATE OF OUR STATE IS STRONG AND OUR FUTURE IS WITHOUT LIMITS. [APPLAUSE]
JOSE CARDENAS: WE WILL HAVE ANALYSIS OF GOVERNOR DUCEY'S STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS AND GET TO KNOW THE NEW DIRECTOR FOR THE ASU ART MUSEUM. ALL THIS COMING UP NEXT ON "HORIZONTE."
VIDEO: "HORIZONTE" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE FRIENDS OF ARIZONA PBS, MEMBERS OF YOUR PBS STATION. THANK YOU.
JOSE CARDENAS: A FEDERAL JUDGE IN CALIFORNIA TEMPORARILY BLOCKED THE TRUMP'S ADMINISTRATION EFFORTS TO END DACA. HOWEVER, THE RULING IS LIMITED AND THE ADMINISTRATION DOES NOT NEED TO PROCESS APPLICATIONS FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NEVER BEFORE RECEIVED DACA PROTECTIONS. ALSO THIS WEEK THE U.S. ENDED TEMPORARY PROTECTED STATUS OF MORE THAN 200,000 SALVADORIANS IMMIGRANTS LIVING IN THE UNITED STATES. JOINING ME NOW TO TALK ABOUT ALL 0F THIS IS LARRY LEVI SANDIGO, ADVOCACY CHAIR FOR THE ARIZONA CHAPTER FOR THE AMERICAN IMMIGRATION LAWYERS ASSOCIATION. LARRY, WELCOME BACK TO “HORIZONTE."
LARRY LEVI SANDIGO: THANK YOU.
JOSE CARDENAS: LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT COURT RULING. IT IS IN THE CONTEXT OF LAWSUITS THAT WERE FILLED BACK IN SEPTEMBER RIGHT. SO WHY JUST NOW?
LARRY LEVI SANDIGO: THERE WAS AN ISSUE OF JURISDICTION; THERE WAS AN ISSUE OF PRODUCING THE ADMINISTRATIVE RECORD. THESE THINGS TAKE TIME. THERE WERE SEVERAL DIFFERENT PLAINTIFFS. THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, THE CITY OF SAN JOSE, AND A COUPLE OTHERS, TO CONSOLIDATE AND MOVE FORWARD IT TOOK SOME TIME.
JOSE CARDENAS: IN THE MEAN TIME, THERE HAVE BEEN PROBABLY THOUSANDS OF FORMER DACA RECIPIENTS HAVE LOST THAT STATUS. IS THIS RULING HELPING THEM?
LARRY LEVI SANDIGO: THOSE WHO WERE ELIGIBLE TO RENEW THEIR APPLICATION SHOULD BE ABLE TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION TO RENEW THEIR DACA.
JOSE CARDENAS: SO IF THEIR STATUS EXPIRED AFTER SEPTEMBER 5 THEY CAN APPLY FOR RENEWL, BUT IF IT EXPIRED BEFORE THAT THEY ARE OUT OF LUCK.
LARRY LEVI SANDIGO: IT IS UNCLEAR. I WOULD SAY EVERYONE CAN SUBMIT A RENEWAL APPLICATION BUT THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY STILL HAS TO ISSUE A PUBLIC NOTICE ON HOW THEY ARE GOING TO HANDLE THAT ALL OF THAT AND WHAT ELIGIBLITY. THE COURT ORDER SAID THAT ANYONE WHO WOULD HAVE BEEN ELIGIBLE BEFORE THE TERMINATION, IS NOE LEIGABLE AGAIN.
JOSE CARDENAS: AND IN THE MEANTIME, THEY CAN'T BE DEPORTED.
LARRY LEVI SANDIGO: IF YOU HAVE DACA THAT IS THE IDEA.
JOSE CARDENAS: DO YOU HAVE TO HAVE APPLIED AND GOTTEN DACA? IF AFTER SEPTEMBER 5, YOUR DACA EXPIRED AND YOU DON'T YET HAVE A RENEWED STATUS, CAN THEY GET YOU? CAN THEY DEPORT YOU?
LARRY LEVI SANDIGO: YES. IF YOU AS OF TODAY DON'T HAVE DACA ANYMORE BECAUSE IT EXPIRED, YOU CAN BE DEPORTED.
JOSE CARDENAS: SO HOW QUICKLY DO YOU THINK THIS IS GOING TO RUN THROUGH THE COURTS? LAST SEVERAL IMMIGRATION ISSUES, PRINCIPALLY THE TRAVEL BANS HAVE GONE QUICKLY TO THE 9TH CIRCUIT AND QUICKLY TO THE U.S. SUPREME COURT.
LARRY LEVI SANDIGO: I THINK IT MIGHT BE A FEW WEEKS BEFORE IT REACHES THE SUPREME COURT.
JOSE CARDENAS: IF IT DOES, WHAT DO YOU EXPECT TO HAVE HAPPEN THERE?
LARRY LEVI SANDIGO: I AM HOPEFUL THE SUPREME COURT WILL RULE IN FAVOR OF THE PLAINTIFFS.
JOSE CARDENAS: AT LEAST ON A TEMPORARILY BASIS, BECAUSE THIS IS A TEMPORRY ORDER RIGHT.
LARRY LEVI SANDIGO: THIS IS AN INJUNCTION.
JOSE CARDENAS: SO LET’S TALK ABOUT THE OTHER BIG NEWS. OF 200,000 SALVADORIAN IMMIGRANTS, THEIR TEMPORARY PROTECTED STATUS TPS IS BEING LIFTED AS OF WHAT? 2019 I THINK.
LARRY LEVI SANDIGO: YES.
JOSE CARDENAS: SO WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN?
LARRY LEVI SANDIGO: ONCE THE TPS PROTECTION ENDS, THEY REVERT TO WHATEVER STATUS THEY HAD PRIOR TO RECEIVING IT. FOR MANY OF THEM, THEY WILL BECOME UNDOCUMENTED ONCE AGAIN AND SUBJECT TO DEPORTATION.
JOSE CARDENAS: AND HOW MANY YEAR HAVE MANY OF THESE PEOPLE BEEN HERE? WHEN DID IT FIRST COME INTO EFFECT?
LARRY LEVI SANDIGO: 2001, AND SO WE’RE LOOKING AT A PERIOD OF 15 YEARS.
JOSE CARDENAS: AND WHAT HAPPENS TO THE CHILDREN OF THOSE SALVADORIAN’S WHO HAD THAT STATUS AND CHILDREN WERE BORN HERE AND THEY ARE U.S. CITIZENS?
LARRY LEVI SANDIGO: I MEAN IT WILL HAPPEN WHAT HAPPENS TO FAMILIES THAT ARE LIKE THAT EVERY DAY HERE IN THE UNITED STATES WHERE THE FAMILY DECIDES WHETHER THE CHILDREN ACCOMPANY THEM TO EL SALVADORE OR WHETHER THEY WILL STAY HERE WITH A GUARDIAN. IT’S A VERY DIFFICULT CHOICE OF FAMILY SEPERATION GOING INTO A COUNTRY WITH LIMITED OPPORTUNITIES.
JOSE CARDENAS: A LOT OF PEOPLE WONDERING WHAT IS WRONG WITH ELIMINATING THE PROGRAM BECAUSE IT DID SAY TEMPORARY AND 18 YEARS DOES SEEM TO BE MORE THAN TEMPORARY OR MORE THAN ENOUGH TIME ANYWAY.
LARRY LEVI SANDIGO: I THINK IT’S PEOPLE WHO NOW WOULD HAVE LAWFUL STATUS WHO ARE CONTRIBUTING TO THE ECOONOMY. YOU CAN’T RENEW YOUR STATUS IF YOU HAVE A DISQUALIFYING CRIMINAL RECORD. THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO STAY. YOU MENTION THEY HAVE CHILDREN WHO WERE BORN IN THE UNITED STATES. WE ARE LOOKING AT FAMILY SEPARATION. WHAT EL SALVADORE SAID IS THEY CANNOT ABSORB 200,000 PEOPLE INTO THEIR ECONOMY. THAT IS 200,000 PEOPLE ARRIVING UNEMPLOYED AND NO LONGER SENDING REMITTANCE THAT HELPS BOLSTER THE SALVADORIAN ECONOMY AND EL SALVADORE IS STILL PLAGUED BY GANGS.
JOSE CARDENAS: THERE IS A QUESTION WHETHER ABOUT THE CONDITIONS THAT ORIGINALLY LED TO DESIGNATING THESE SALVADORIANS IWHT TPS MAY NOT HAVE YET BEEN RESOLVED.
LARRY LEVI SANDIGO: THE ORIGINAL DEVISTATION WAS BASED ON A DEVASTATING HURRICANE IN THE COUNTRY. NOW THE EFFECTS OF THE HURRICANE MAY HAVE SUBSIDED BUT THERE IS VIOLENCE, A LOT OF VIOLENT CRIME IN EL SALVADOR THAT STILL MAKES IT AN UNSAFE PLACE FOR PEOPLE.
JOSE CARDENAS: LARRY, QUICKLY WE’RE JUST ABOUT OUT OF TIME. QUICKLY ON THE CURRENT NEGOTIATIONS OVER THE DREAM ACT AND WHETHER IT IS GOING TO BE ENACTED. A PREDICTION AS TO WHETHER WE WILL SEE ANYTHING HAPPEN THIS MONTH?
LARRY LEVI SANDIGO: YOU KNOW, A GROUP OF HOUSE REPUBLICANS PUT FORWARD THEIR DEMANDS AND WHAT IT INCLUDES, INCLUDING FOR THE WALL, INCREASED ENFORCEMENT, IN RETURN FOR ALL OF THAT IT WOULD ONLY BE A THREE-YEAR PERMIT WITH NO PATH TO CITIZENSHIP FOR A LOT OF DEMOCRATS IT IS NOT WORKABLE TO ONLY HAVE A TEMPORARY.
JOSE CARDENAS: THERE WAS A GOOD MEETING WITH THE PRESIDENT AND PEOPLE CAME OUT FEELING SOMEWHAT OPTIMISTIC. ARE YOU?
LARRY LEVI SANDIGO: I THINK THE PRESIDENT CAN CHANGE HIS MIND EVERY DAY AND SO I AM NOT OPTIMISTIC UNTIL I SEE SOMETHING CONCRETE.
Larry Levi Sandigo: American Immigration Lawyers Association
