WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) - President Joe Biden wasted no time making changes to the nation’s immigration and border policies. In his first day in office last week, the president signed executive orders lifting the travel ban on several predominantly-Muslim nations, preserving the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA) and proposing an immigration bill that would give a pathway to citizenship to more than 11 million undocumented people in the United States. The order also halts deportations for 100 days. The DACA program allows certain immigrants who were brought to the country illegally as children to work and be exempt from deportation, though it does not confer legal status on recipients.
After years of uncertainty, Kansas DACA recipient Zaira Loera is able to take a deep breath. Loera has been in the United States for more than 20 years. She said the DACA program, which started in 2012, changed her life. She said President Biden’s move to preserve and fortify DACA is giving her and thousands of other DACA recipients a sign of hope.
“We are very hopeful that something good is happening,” Loera said.
In addition to the restoration of DACA, immigration attorney Sarah Balderas said the proposed immigration bill to give undocumented immigrants a path to citizenship is likely to succeed.
“It’s pretty possible now, simply because Congress is primarily Democrat now,” she said. “It has all swayed to one side. People have been saying they really do have power to pass anything that they want.”
She said the executive support for clear a path to citizenship for immigrants across the country would be a win for everyone.
“I always say, these are the people who we want as permanent residents, and especially (to) become U.S. citizens,” Balderas said. “Because their record is great, besides the fact that they were brought here illegally. They have put themselves in a position to be perfect applicants for lawful, permanent residency.”
She said, however, that the process will take time.
“It’s really just a matter of being patient and letting the U.S. government turn the tide,” she said.
Copyright 2021 KWCH. All rights reserved.
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Immigration initiatives give hope for Kansas DACA recipients - KWCH
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