Holy Cross Ministries holds first informational workshop on the new immigration executive order

Friday, Dec. 05, 2014

SALT LAKE CITY —President Barack Obama’s recent executive action regarding immigration spurred Holy Cross Ministries in Utah to hold an information session about the deferred action for childhood arrivals (DACA) program and the new deferred action process for parents (DAPA).

About 20 people attended the Nov. 25 at the Holy Cross Ministries offices in Salt Lake City.

“I am here because I want to know how to arrange my situation,” said Minerva Gonzales, who came to the United States many years ago and is a mother of a 4-year-old girl.

A parishioner of Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church in West Valley City, Gonzales said she has always prayed to the Lord for an opportunity to get out of the shadows.

“I have always been scared that they [immigration services] will take me away from my daughter; she was born here and every day I wonder ‘What if …?’” said Gonzales.

She attended Holy Cross session avid for answers to all her questions.

At the session, questions about how and when to apply, the cost, what documents are needed, and whether the process would allow a social security card to be obtained were asked by the attendees.

The answer to  most of those questions is “We don’t know.”

“We are still waiting for more details on how this program will be implemented but will hold informational sessions at Holy Cross Ministries to review and summarize what we do know,” said Gabriela Archuleta, a Board of Immigration Appeals member and an accredited representative for Holy Cross Ministries. The informational sessions are free, and everyone in the community is invited.”

Archuleta also advised people to avoid scams. “Wait for more information to come to light,” she urged. ”No one can tell you right now that they will get you DAPA. No one knows exactly how much it will cost, so please do not let anyone scam you. The process is not open yet.”

Archuleta stressed that the executive action is not immigration reform.

“What has happened is that President Obama, with his power as president of the United States, announced an executive action. He is instructing the USCIS – the agency that handles the permits – about the steps to follow,” said Archuleta, adding that the executive action “basically is to defer the deportation of people who have been in the United States, giving them a temporary permit for work and a social security number; this process is called DAPA.” 

According to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service, the executive action, which could affect 4 million people, includes:

• Expanding the population eligible for the DACA program to young people who came to this country before turning 16 years old and have been present since Jan. 1, 2010; and extending the period of DACA and work authorization from two years to three years.

• Allowing parents of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents who have been present in the country since Jan. 1, 2010, to request deferred action and employment authorization for three years, in a new Deferred Action for Parental Accountability program, provided they pass required background checks.

• Expanding the use of provisional waivers of unlawful presence to include the spouses and sons and daughters of lawful permanent residents and the sons and daughters of U.S. citizens.  

Archuleta said that the U.S. immigration service will consider each request for DAPA on a case-by-case basis.

“What this action is not, is not a visa, it is not a permanent resident permanent status, it is not a path to citizenship, and even if a person qualifies under all the requirements, immigration may deny it just because they want to,” said Archuleta.

 

In his recent Executive Order, President Barack Obama has provided Deferred Action for Parental Accountability (DAPA). This means that parents of United States citizen children or children with Legal Permanent Residence (LPR) status are protected from deportation for three years, provided they meet certain criteria, and may receive employment authorization documents. Applications will not be accepted for a few months, but will be prior to May 19, 2015. In preparation, eligible parents, and parishioners who would like to help individuals apply for DAPA status, should consider the following: 

• Parents will need to provide documentation of their continuous residence in the U.S. since before Jan. 1, 2010. Acceptable documentation may include mortgage or rent payments, utility payments, school records, church records, bank records, etc.

• Parents will need to provide proof that they were parents of a U.S. citizen or child with LPR status as of Nov. 20, 2014 (the date of the president’s action). Proof may include birth certificates or the child’s LPR document.

• Parents will need to show that they were physically present in the U.S. on Nov. 20, 2014. Proof may include store receipts, doctor records, school records, bank deposits, employment records, etc.

• DAPA likely will require a $465 application fee. 

• Obtain an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number and file your 2014 taxes by April 15, 2015.

• Go to a licensed immigration attorney or a charitable agency recognized by the Board of Immigration Appeals.  

• DO NOT go to a notario or visa consultant for assistance.  

• DO NOT pay anyone to help you until the government announces that the application period has opened. It could be several months until you can apply with USCIS.  Source: Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc.