The government’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program has created a seemingly secure class of immigrants who have been protected from deportation because they were brought into the United States by their parents when they were very young. Now, according to a recent report, this class of immigrants has begun to receive e-mails from the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Administration telling these residents that their immigration cases may be re-opened to determine whether they are in the country legally.
The immigrants who are receiving these e-mails are now adults. Many are in college or are employed. And many have gotten married and are raising children.
According to a report aired on CNN, ICE is asking immigration courts to re-open cases that have been administratively closed. In an e-mail to CNN, an ICE official said that DACA recipients whose cases have been closed can expect to see them re-opened. This so-called “re-calendaring” of cases is happening nationwide and is not limited to a particular state or region.
Many, if not all, of the so-called “Dreamers” who are discovering that they may be subject to deportation have committed no criminal acts and they are otherwise complying with the DACA regulations. The status of DACA recipients is further complicated by the fact that the United States Supreme Court is considering whether the entire program should be terminated. Anyone who relies on DACA for protection from deportation may need to get more information about the current state of the law and their own unique immigration status.
