By Ben Felder Staff Writer bfelder@oklahoman.com
For nearly 7,500 undocumented immigrants in Oklahoma, many of whom have only known a life in the United States, deportation relief found under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, known as DACA, will come to an end in six months without an act of Congress.
On Tuesday, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced an “orderly wind down” of the program that gave children brought into the country illegally a path to employment, higher education and comfort in knowing they would not be the target of immigration enforcement.
President Donald Trump had campaigned on ending the program, which was put in place by an executive order under former president Barack Obama in 2012.
However, since his election, Trump signaled he was reconsidering an end to DACA.
Tuesday's announcement fulfilled Trump's campaign promise, but with a March 5, 2018, deadline, it also provides time for Congress to act before DACA is completely ended for nearly 800,000 immigrants across the country, also known as dreamers.
"It feels like it's a ticking time bomb," said Yovana Medina, a DACA recipient in Oklahoma City who moved from Mexico to the United States at age 9.
Now 24, Medina works with victims of domestic abuse and had planned to apply for law school in the fall, opportunities she has under DACA.
Despite Tuesday's announcement, she has hope Congress will keep DACA-like protections alive, especially after many lawmakers and business leaders expressed support for the program last week.
"It was very impressive to see the reaction from business leaders and leaders in Congress in support of DACA," Medina said.
Read more on NewsOK.com
via NewsOK.com RSS - politics >> !The Oklahoman