This Week in Immigration Reform – Week Ending June 6
Week Ending June 6, 2014
This week in immigration reform: USCIS issues renewal procedures for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program; Rep. King’s anti-immigrant amendment that passed the House turns 1 year old; Poll by Latino Decisions and the Center for American Progress shows that Latino voters will blame Republicans if immigration reform fails; and NCLR Board Chair Jorge Plasencia joined representatives from the business and technology sector as well as Representatives Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Mario Diaz Balart on a panel at Miami Dade University in support for immigration reform.
–USCIS announces renewal procedures for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program. On Thursday, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services released a revised form that current DACA recipients must submit in order to renew their work permits and to avoid a lapse of deferred action status. Applicants will have to pay a $465 fee for renewal, as well as file their application no later than 120 days before their current work permit expires. USCIS will not be accepting applications submitted 150 days before the expiration of the work permit. The new form can also be used by first time applicants who will be expected to submit all required documents and evidence requested by USCIS. Those who are renewing their application do not need to submit further evidence or documents except in the case of new criminal charges or violations.
–Rep. Steve King’s (Iowa) anti-immigrant amendment to defund the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. Today marks the one year anniversary of the anti-Dreamer amendment introduced by Rep. Steve King and passed by the House of Representatives by a 224-201 vote. The amendment sought to cut DHS funding of the DACA program and prosecutorial discretion. While the DACA program has proven to be a success, the amendment was the first action taken in the House of Representatives on immigration. If the House GOP leadership wants to increase their failing scores they have until the end of July to pass immigration reform. Click here to remind your Representative of what they must do to increase their score!
–Latino Decisions and the Center for American Progress show that Latino voters will blame Republicans if the House fails to pass Immigration Reform. A survey of 800 registered Hispanic voters found that 68% of the poll’s respondents confirmed their disapproval of House Republicans’ handing of immigration and 61 percent said they were more likely to listen to GOP candidates on other issues if Republicans in Congress helped pass immigration reform. The poll confirmed what we know- Latino voters are paying attention to the issue and 71 percent said that it’s very important to pass immigration reform in 2014.
–NCLR Board Chair Jorge Plasencia, advocates from business and technology, and House Republicans engage in panel discussion in support of immigration reform. During a panel discussion hosted by FWD.us Rep. Ros-Lehtinen and Rep. Diaz-Balart joined LIBRE Initiative Executive Director Daniel Garza, Univision Radio and PBS Anchor Helen Aguirre Ferré, NCLR Board Chair Jorge Plasencia, and FWD.us President and Founder Joe Green to discuss immigration reform. At the event. Rep. Diaz-Balart stated that he is continuing to work on immigration reform and there is a 50/50 percent chance of accomplishing reform.
