Important DACA Update for Faculty and Grad Workers

Important DACA Update for Faculty and Grad Workers

On Sept. 5, 2017 U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the end of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

Here are six things higher education faculty and graduate employees need to know about the planned DACA phase out and more:

1.       Work permits issued under DACA will remain valid until their expiration date.

-If you’re currently a faculty member or grad student who is DACAmented, this means the academic calendar has no impact on your work permit

Action: Check the expiration date of your EAD (employment authorization document, and remind your DACAmented students to do the same. To determine when DACA and work permits expire, check I-797 Approval Notice and the bottom of the EAD.

2.       DACA and work permit renewals: individuals whose work permits expire between Sept. 5, 2017 and March 5, 2018 must submit their DACA renewal by Oct. 5, 2017.

Action: Don’t wait until October to start the renewal process. Seek legal assistance if your EAD expires between Sept. 5, 2017 and March 5, 2018. Many local agencies are providing for the renewal application.

3.       New DACA applications will not be accepted. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration services will not accept or process first-time applications for DACA after Sept. 5, 2017.

4.       Applications for advance parole to travel abroad are no longer available. The Department of Homeland Security will no longer grant DACA recipients permission to travel abroad through advance parole. Any pending applications will not be processed, and DHS will refund any associated fees. If you have already been granted advance parole through DACA, your grant is valid, but if you choose to use it, we recommend that you take precautions (e.g., have an attorney on call when returning to the United States).

5.       Know your rights. DACA’s repeal doesn’t change the fact that everyone in the United States, documented or undocumented, has rights. You are your students have rights – you are not alone.

6.       Path Forward. We will continue to fight with you. Five years ago, we mobilized, organized and marched for the establishment of DACA, and we will continue to do everything in our power to get the federal Dream Act passed and to protect immigrant youth and their families across the country from the threat of deportation. For resources to help you and your students in this difficult time, visit http://weareheretostay.org/.

  

What is DACA?

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals is a federal program that the Department of Homeland Security announced on June 15, 2012, for undocumented youth who meet a number of requirements and pay a $495 application fee. Individuals granted DACA are protected from deportation for renewable two-year periods and are eligible to apply for a Social Security number and work permit.

American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO

555 New Jersey Ave. NW

Washington, DC 20001

202-879-4400