Roughly 230,000 undocumented immigrants residing in the five boroughs of New York City are eligible for the deferred action programs penned President Obama.
These are the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA), the latter which was announced in November 2014 by the President. Queens beats out the other boroughs with 246,000 undocumented immigrants, 91,000 of whom are eligible for the either of the programs. Brooklyn, The Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island follow behind.
What are DACA & DAPA?
DACA was first announced in 2012 for those who had come to the U.S. as children and meet certain requirements who may request a renewable deferred action for two years. This does not provide legal status. President Obama extended the residence and work authorization to three years in 2014.
In order to be eligible for DACA, you must:
- Have arrived in the U.S. before turning 16
- Have been under 31 years old as of June 15, 2012
- Have lived in the U.S. continuously since June 15, 2007
- Have been physically within the U.S. when applying for deferred action
- Have had no lawful status on June 15, 2012
- Have not been convicted of a felony, significant misdemeanors, or more than two others, and
- Be currently enrolled in school, have earned a diploma or degree or have been honorably discharged from the military
DAPA on the other hand is for undocumented individuals residing in the U.S. who is a parent of a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident.
DAPA applicants must:
- Have lived in the U.S. continuously since January 1, 2010
- Had a child on November 20, 2014 that was a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident, and
- Are not considered an enforcement priority for removal from the U.S.
DAPA will not be open for applications until May 2015, but those residents of Queens and elsewhere permitted by the program will be allowed to remain in the U.S. with their families.
If you would like to learn more about these significant programs, please call a New York immigration lawyer from Michael Musa-Obregon and we can help you no matter what your legal or immigration status.