DACA shut down by Trump; children and families need help from Congress, providers, and us

Abstract

Last month, the federal government said it would shut down the program called Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) in 6 months. President Obama had allowed undocumented young people to come out of the shadows and apply for temporary residency under DACA. Those who did so did so in good faith, wanting to be American citizens, to go to school, to work. Many do now go to school, they work, they pay taxes, and they have children of their own. Now, the federal government has reneged on that deal, and advocates are afraid it will use the information to deport them back to countries they may have no memory of and no ties to, unless Congress does something within the next few months.