Vanessa (not her real name or photo) never thought she would be considered an essential worker. She had been working hard at a “normal” job to support her younger siblings and her mother with a chronic illness. But then COVID-19 hit, and all of a sudden she was on the front lines, helping to ensure people could get the food and supplies they needed. She’s worried she could get sick or bring the virus home to her family.
She also has to worry about her ability to continue doing her essential job. Vanessa is a Dreamer, working legally in the US under the DACA program (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals), but all that could change in June.
The Fate of DACA remains uncertain even after the Supreme Court Ruling.
On June 18, 2020, the Supreme Court ruled to allow the Deferred Act for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) to continue. The decision restored the program in its entirety. This means that both renewals and new applications should be accepted by USCIS.
However, the administration could try to rescind DACA again. We are encouraging current DACA recipients to renew while they can.
DACA renewal is expensive. It costs about $700 for Immigrant Hope to file a renewal. This is less than half what an immigration attorney charges. The vast majority of these costs are what the federal government charges for each application. Any contribution you can make is a chance for someone like Vanessa to be able to continue working legally in the US and contributing to her community.
Learn more about Immigrant Hope at https://www.immigranthope.org/location/wyoming-idaho/.