To qualify for a deferred action, the young person must:
• Have lived continuously in the United States for five years prior to June 15
• Be in school, a high school graduate (or holds a GED) or a military veteran (honorably discharged)
• Have come to the United States before age 16 and are not older than 30
• Be present in the United States on June 15, and able to pass a criminal background check. A young person who has a criminal record may or may not qualify, depending on the crime or crimes.
Note that the process to apply for this benefit has not been determined. No one should apply until the application process is determined. Financial, medical, and sacramental records will help determine a person’s residency in the United States. These records can be gathered now. Individuals may call the USCIS hotline at 1-800-375-5283, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., with questions or to request more information on the new process.
Investing in young people who show their determination to succeed evidenced by their education or military service (despite the obstacles that have been placed in their way by our current immigration system) is not only smart, but in the best tradition of our Catholic faith. Our church strives to stand on the side of the vulnerable, and these young people are among the most vulnerable among us. Many do not speak the language of their parents’ homeland, many struggle to remain in school, many could never dream of a future—one of the most important tasks of the young. By removing the threat of imminent deportation, our country has granted them space to dream, to create and to contribute.
As Archbishop Jose Gomez, Chairman of the USCCB Committee on Migration writes, “The action by the President…is no substitute for enactment of the DREAM Act in Congress…. We also renew our call for bipartisan efforts to enact comprehensive and humane reform of our nation’s broken immigration system.” The long term solution lies ahead; for some young people, the pause offered by this deferred action is a welcome relief.