Deportations Of ‘Dreamers’ Who’ve Lost Protected Status Have Surged Under Trump

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Publish Date:
April 19, 2017
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Los Angeles Times
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Summary

The number of “Dreamers” deported after being brought illegally to the United States as children and losing their protected status because of criminal behavior appears to have soared in the first few months of the Trump administration.

According to data released this week by the Department of Homeland Security, 43 immigrants whose protection under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program was terminated were deported during the first two months of the Trump presidency, from Jan. 20 to March 25.

“Given the Trump administration’s rhetoric and policies, I’m not surprised that more people are being targeted — including individuals who are longtime residents who pose no danger, contribute to our society and economy, and have U.S. citizen families,” said Lucas Guttentag, a former senior advisor at the Department of Homeland Security under Obama who now teaches law at Stanford University.

Yet it appears clear that those whose DACA protection is terminated are more likely to be a target for deportation now that Trump has set new priorities for enforcement. Under the Obama administration, Guttentag said, someone could have his or her DACA status terminated yet remain a non-priority for removal if not seen to pose a danger or convicted of a serious criminal offense.

“The fact that they abandoned priorities didn’t change DACA,” Guttentag said. “But if a DACA recipient does something to lose eligibility, that could not make him or her vulnerable.”

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