Mayor de Blasio gathered on June 23, with elected officials and community leaders in the rotunda of City Hall to express disappointment at the Supreme Court’s decision blocking implementation of President Obama’s immigration executive actions. The decision means that the President’s temporary relief programs for undocumented immigrants who are a low-priority for deportation cannot move forward, due to a lawsuit brought by a number of states against the Obama Administration.
“The President’s common-sense executive actions on immigration represented an opportunity to strengthen families and communities nationwide, including over 200,000 New Yorkers and their families, so the Supreme Court’s decision is very disappointing,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “This underscores the urgency of our continued fight for immigration reform, and for our ongoing work at the local level to provide support to all immigrants.”
In New York City, the Supreme Court’s decision will deny significant benefits to immigrants and the City:
· As many as 220,000 undocumented New Yorkers would have benefitted from the President’s executive actions on immigration.
· As demonstrated by the success of the original DACA program, which continues to be available, expanded DACA and DAPA would have helped many immigrants access greater opportunity and stability for themselves and their families.
· The City would have also benefitted from expanded DACA and DAPA programs. New York City stood to gain an estimated $35 million in income tax revenue per year as a result of the President’s executive actions on immigration.
· The City benefits when immigrant families and communities are stronger and face fewer obstacles to access and integration. The President’s executive actions would have helped connect immigrants to better jobs, health care, and New York State driver’s licenses, among other benefits.
The original DACA program, launched in 2012, continues to be available for applications.
“The Supreme Court’s decision will not stop our work on behalf of immigrant rights and immigrant integration,” said Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs Commissioner Nisha Agarwal. “All immigrant New Yorkers should stay informed of their rights and the services that New York City provides. Our office will hold many community-based workshops in the coming weeks and we will work with community-based organizations and elected officials in order to meet the needs of immigrant communities at this time.”
What are the most important things New York City immigrants should know now?
1. Immigrants cannot apply for Expanded DACA and DAPA.
2. Immigrants can continue to apply for the original 2012 DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) program. This lawsuit and Supreme Court decision do not affect the existing DACA program.
3. Immigrants should get informed about their options so they can determine the best course of action for themselves and their families. For information, call 311 about “DACA” or “DAPA” or go to nyc.gov/deferredaction.
4. Don’t trust anyone who promises to help you apply for Expanded DACA or DAPA. Beware of fraudulent providers.
What are the differences between DACA, Expanded DACA, and DAPA?
DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals): This program is for undocumented immigrants who are currently under the age of 35, came to the U.S. before June 15, 2007, and were under age 16 when they arrived. This program continues. People can still apply.
Expanded DACA: This program would have expanded DACA eligibility to undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. before the age of 16 and before January 2010, regardless of their current age. This program has been stopped by the courts.
DAPA (Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents): This program would have been for undocumented parents of U.S. citizen or permanent resident (green card holder) children, who came to the U.S. before January 2010. This program has been stopped by the courts.
What will New York City do now?
New York City will continue to connect New York immigrants, regardless of their immigration status, to the resources they need for their families and communities to thrive, including immigration legal services. The City will also continue to advocate for urgently needed federal immigration reform.
A range of City services are available to all residents regardless of immigration status, including:
o IDNYC, the country’s largest municipal ID program, available to all New York City residents 14 and over
o ActionNYC, a joint program of the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs and the City University of New York, that provides free, community-based immigration legal screenings and assistance. ActionNYC launched in February 2016 and has already reached over 18,000 immigrant New Yorkers.
o ActionHealthNYC (nyc.gov/actionhealthnyc), a health care access program for uninsured immigrants who are ineligible for federal and state public health insurance programs.
o Health care services, education and after-school programs, child care services, emergency food assistance and shelter. Please click here for more information.
How can immigrants protect themselves from fraud?
Bad legal advice can have serious negative consequences for immigrants.
· Beware of:
o People who claim they can help immigrants apply for Expanded DACA and DAPA. Those programs are not available.
o People who claim they can help immigrants get on a priority list or have special access to immigration authorities.
· Tips for immigrants seeking help from an attorney or other immigration services provider:
o Do not sign any blank forms or contracts.
o If you don’t understand what it is, don’t sign it.
o Do not leave original documents with your provider.
o Only go to a provider that has a physical location, not one that is only available by phone or email.
o Always get copies of anything that a provider prepares for you.
Only licensed attorneys and representatives accredited by the Board of Immigration Appeals are authorized to provide immigration legal advice.
Immigrants who think they may have been the victim of immigration services fraud should call 311 or the NYS New Americans hotline at (800) 566-7636.
For more information on programs and resources for immigrants, call 311 and say “DACA” or “DAPA” or visit nyc.gov/immigrants.
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