In June 2012, President Obama created a new policy that called for deferred action for specific undocumented young people who ventured to the U.S. as children.
“Deferred action” is a limited benefit status for undocumented individuals that allows them to apply for employment authorization. This policy provides some benefits, however, there is no path from deferred action to lawful permanent residence or to citizenship.
For candidates to be eligible for deferred action, they must:
- 1. Be under the age of 31 as of June 15, 2012
- 2. Have come to the U.S. while under the age of 16
- 3. Have entered the U.S. without inspection
- 4. Have been physically present in the U.S. on June 15, 2012
- 5. Be currently enrolled in school, have graduated high school or obtained GED, or have been honorably discharged from the Coast Guard or armed forces
- 6. Have not been convicted of a felony offense, a significant misdemeanor and do not pose a threat to national security or public safety
The Immigrant Support and Assistance Center works to help immigrants in Northwest Indiana to access resources available to them, including DACA.
To learn more about ISAAC and other similar organizations, visit foundationsec.org.