Today marks the beginning of President Obama’s “Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals” immigration policy. The plan allows for illegal immigrants who were brought to the United States as children to stay legally, via an authorization to work and a two-year deferral from deportation.
More than 1.2 million young immigrants could benefit from this program, and some estimates even range up to the 1.7 million mark. The “Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals” plan was adopted in lieu of the even more comprehensive Dream Act, which would have granted legal status to the same group affected here, but stalled in Congress in 2010.
Here in Southern California, a ceremony was held at 9 a.m. at the office of the Coalition for Humane Immigrants Rights of Los Angeles to roll in the new policy, which will be followed by information sessions for the 500 or so expected to attend on the application process.
Who exactly is affected by this administration’s immigration reforms? What does it mean for Los Angeles and the rest of California?
Guests:
Linett Luna, UCLA senior studying Latin American Studies and Anthropology, who came to the U.S. legally when she was 10 years old to join her parents and siblings then overstayed her visa
Russell Jauregui, Immigration Attorney with the Los Angeles firm Vellanoweth and Gayhart
Jessica Vaughan, Director of Policy Studies, Center for Immigration Studies