Bloggings on DACA

by DACA Field Report Blog

08/23/2012

Organization Charging DACA Applicants

We have received reports from various sources on the ground indicating that some non-profit organizations are charging for providing legal assistance to working class immigrants for their DACA applications. We understand that as any entity that needs to run daily operations, these organizations need funding to maintain their programs and initiatives. However, when such organizations already receive enormous amounts from foundations and government agencies, how can these organizations justify charging these fees to immigrants who are already having a hard time affording the required USCIS application fees?

One such organization is Make The Road in New York, who recently just received $150,000 from New York State [link to http://articles.nydailynews.com/2012-08-15/news/33220593_1_action-for-childhood-arrivals-young-immigrants-new-york-immigration-coalition]. Additionally, CHIRLA, a “nonprofit organization working to advance the human and civil rights of immigrants and refugees in Los Angeles” is also charging individuals for the processing of their applications.

 

Is it fair that these organizations are charging individuals when they already get funding from foundation and taxpayers to do this work? Share your thoughts on this matter.

Napolitano's Changed Stance

A new report has emerged in Politico's Glenn Thrush's e-book, Obama's Last Stand, about Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano's reluctance on the deferred action program. Thrush reports that Ms. Napolitano initially blocked the program as she might allegedly be interested in running for Senate in Arizona in 2016 and would not want to distance non-Latino voters from her there. This is even after Florida Senator Marco Rubio proposed a limited version of the DREAM Act, an attempt at re-gaining Latino voters who had drifted away due to Mr. Romney's support of the Alabama and Arizona immigration laws. Seeing that this would be detrimental to the Democratic Party, White House policy adviser Cecilia Munoz pushed Congressional leaders to pass a bill that would implement deferred action. While she was unsuccessful in doing so, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) advised Ms. Munoz that President Obama should pass an executive order. The internal battle continued when Ms. Napolitano refused to sign off on any such order until late May when she suddenly changed her stance and approved the deferred action program. What caused this reversed course by Ms. Napolitano is not clear, however. If you would like to share your thoughts, please share below; the original article on Ms. Napolitano's changed stance can be found here: http://univisionnews.tumblr.com/post...eferred-action

About The Author

DACA Field Report Blog carries field reports on Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals from multiple sources.

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) alone and should not be imputed to ILW.COM.
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