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Rep. Gutierrez Says Republican Proposal Kills Deffered Action for Childhood Arrivals, Eliminates Protection from Deportation for DREAMers


“It defies logic to turn immigrants with authorization to work and contribute to this country back into undocumented immigrants.  And they call our side the party that supports illegal immigration?  It is sideways logic,” said Rep. Gutiérrez

Washington, DC—(ENEWSPF)—August 1, 2014. Rep. Luis V. Gutiérrez (D-IL) testified before the House Rules Committee today on the newly crafted and revamped Republican bills to deport Central American children without due process, change asylum and trafficking laws, and end the popular Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program instituted by President Obama in 2012. 

Language hastily assembled today to change the Blackburn Bill to kill DACA –– clearly cuts the program off for anyone that has not received their final approval and is intended to prevent the President of the United States from using elements of American immigration law like Deferred Action in the future.  But it also prevents anyone who currently has DACA from renewing it after their initial two-year period expires.

The language in the Blackburn bill says that there can be no new adjudication under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (or any similar program), if the person was not lawfully admitted to the United States.

Renewal of DACA requires a new adjudication.  Applicants submit evidence that they have DACA, that their circumstances have not changed, a fee to renew and then the application for renewal is adjudicated.

“Over 600,000,  young people raised in the United States, who came forward and applied for DACA will now be turned back into undocumented immigrants,” Rep. Gutiérrez said.  “It defies logic to turn immigrants with authorization to work and contribute to this country into undocumented immigrants.  And they call our side the party that supports illegal immigration?  It is sideways logic.”

“Clearly Republicans are not interested in owning this fact because under direct questioning by Rep. Jared Polis of Colorado, Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte of Virginia refused to answer if those with DACA now would be allowed to renew.  And because this bill was rewritten yesterday to make it harsh enough to garner Republican votes, there have been no hearings or outside analysis.”

Over 600,000 individuals have applied for DACA who are over 16, were under age 31 (as of June 15, 2012), arrived before they turned 16, had continuously resided in US since June 2007, met educational requirements, are not convicted criminals and passed an FBI criminal background check and paid $465.00.  It must be renewed every two years.  The first applications for the initiative were accepted on Aug. 15, 2012.

Gutiérrez said: “This program was initiated by President Obama under the law as it existed and exists today and we have had a national election where the President was overwhelmingly returned to the White House, but now as the next Election Day approaches, Republicans want to kill DACA and kill it quietly on a Friday night.

“If they want all DREAMers deported, they should say so proudly and let the rest of America know where they stand.  Apparently, even these legislators have a threshold for shame.

“Thank God this will never become law.”

A vote is expected in the House late tonight.

Gutiérrez, a Democrat, represents the Fourth District of Illinois, is a Member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, a Member of the Judiciary Committee and the Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security, and is the Chairman of the Immigration Task Force of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.

Source: Gutierrez.house.gov


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