From $495 to $0: DACA Grant Program Seeks to Remove Fee Burden for New DREAMERs
Court order re-opens DACA program to hundreds of thousands of immigrants and Hispanic Federation wants to ensure cost isn’t a barrier to opportunity.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 11, 2020
New York -– Hispanic Federation announced the expansion of its DACA scholarship program following a court order on December 4th which required the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to fully reinstate the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.
The court order compelled DHS to reopen the DACA program to first-time applicants, including the estimated 55,000 young immigrants who turned 17, and became eligible, since the program was unlawfully ended by the Trump Administration in 2017.
In order to assist new DREAMERs, Hispanic Federation will expand its program to underwrite the $495 DACA application fee for qualified first time DACA applicants, with an initial $50,000 in scholarships available. This program is a part of a $100,000 DACA grant program, half of which has already helped hundreds of DREAMERs process renewal applications still valid under the rigid Trump Administration guidelines.
“For the first time in three years, and after intense work from so many, immigrants in this country will once again have the option to protect themselves through DACA,” said Frankie Miranda, President and CEO of Hispanic Federation. “The decision by the court ends a period of pain, uncertainty, and fear of deportation immigrants—many of whom have known no other home—have been living with for years. We are excited that after a long and frustrating period, we can expand our DACA scholarship program and do all we can to help new DREAMERs plan for their futures.”
The scholarships will be available to individuals applying for DACA in Florida, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, and Puerto Rico. Applications must be processed by partner immigrant service agencies in those states.
One of those agencies, Central American Refugee Center (CARECEN) in Long Island, NY, is preparing for an increase in applications from individuals who have been waiting for this change for a long time. The organization, which helped process approximately 100 renewal applications in 2020, says the court order and a new Administration bring confidence and stability to the DACA program.
“We are already seeing people asking about how to apply for DACA since the news came out over the weekend. These are individuals who were not eligible to apply previously and have honestly been shaken by the ups and downs of the rollercoaster we have been on for the last few years,” said Elise de Castillo, Executive Director and immigration attorney with CARECEN. “It’s wonderful we can now help these members of our community.”
Along with allowing applications for newly eligible DREAMERs, the court order also overturns DHS rules which slashed the protection period from two years to one, as well as requires DHS to make all considerations based on the terms in place on September 5, 2017. It is estimated that more than 300,000 people may be eligible.
Even with the influx of eligible DREAMERs, de Castillo says that legal questions and the application fee will still create a burden for many, especially with COVID-19 continuing to ravage Latino communities.
“The pandemic has directly impacted income for approximately 90% of the clients we see, so while pulling together $495 for an application fee would be difficult any year, it is more so now,” said de Castillo. “In order to protect themselves, it’s important that individuals thinking of applying engage with reputable organizations, which can also often provide people with generous opportunities like the Hispanic Federation grant.”
Individuals who are interested in learning more about the Hispanic Federation DACA Scholarship, including a list of participating partner agencies can visit: www.hispanicfederation.org/dacascholarship.
Contact:
Matthew Rojas
mrojas@hispanicfederation.org
