Immigrant advocates win minor DACA deadline dispute

<p>Some beneficiaries of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, also known as DACA, won a minor victory this week with the chance to refile their applications to stay in the United States.</p>

News 12 Staff

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Nov 16, 2017, 9:52 PM

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Updated 2,358 days ago

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Some beneficiaries of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, also known as DACA, won a minor victory this week with the chance to refile their applications to stay in the United States.

Many of them are productive members of society, like Varlene, an EMT in Canarsie who came here when she was 11.

"I know no other country but the United States," she says. "I have been here for 20 years."

Immigration advocates and attorneys are touting a Wednesday night announcement for DACA recipients whose applications were delayed in the mail.

Applications initially sent before the Oct. 5 deadline that were not received until later can now be refiled, if the applicant can prove the date of the initial mailing.

In September, the Trump administration said it would phase out DACA, which protects from deportation thousands of young people brought to the United States as children.

Some recipients were still eligible for renewal ahead of the Oct. 5 deadline -- which gave them a narrow timeframe.

"We cannot let the government continue to make excuses and try to shift the blame to the U.S. Post Office," says Healy Ko, an immigration advocate.