President Trump released a memorandum on Thursday stating that former President Obama’s protections for Dreamers, or undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as small children, will not be immediately eliminated.
Under the Obama administration, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program protected these immigrants from deportation and provided them with work permits so they can seek legal employment.
The Department of Homeland Security released a news statement, stating “the June 15, 2012, memorandum that created the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program will remain in effect.” A fact sheet posted on the department’s website also stated that people enrolled in the program “ will continue to be eligible” to renew every two years and “no work permits will be terminated prior to their current expiration dates.”
Despite the short-term security of the program, the Trump administration stresses that a long term to determination to keep the program or make good on Trump’s campaign promises of mass deportation are still undecided.
“There has been no final determination made about the DACA program, which the president has stressed needs to be handled with compassion and with heart,” said Jonathan Hoffman, the assistant secretary for public affairs at the department, according to the New York Times.
