What You Should Know About The DACA Program

2024 Author: Steven Freeman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 08:15

Since the administration of President Donald Trump made the decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, also known as DACA, in early September, a wave of protests has started to show its rejection of the ruling that affects thousands of young immigrants.

But what is this initiative created by President Barack Obama in 2012 about? We tell you five things you should know about DACA and that will help you understand why the Latino community has spoken strongly about it.

1. The program began under the Obama administration and allowed young people who came to the country without documents (being under the age of 16) to work, study and obtain a driver's license, in addition to not being subject to deportation proceedings.

2. Applicants to the program must be under the age of 31, prove that they had been residents of the United States since June 2007, and, of course, demonstrate that they had no criminal record whatsoever.

3. One of the main requirements to receive program benefits was that applicants must be registered with an educational entity or be serving in the United States Armed Forces.

4. Dreamer is an appellation that was given to the thousands of DACA beneficiaries. As Fox News reported on its online site, nearly 800,000 undocumented youth were covered under the program.

5. A large part of the beneficiaries of this initiative were young people from Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador. California, Texas and New York are the states with the highest concentration of DREAMers.