Catholic Charities will assist young people with 'deferred action' paperwork

Catholic Charities of Arkansas recommends that undocumented young people prepare carefully before applying to a special program to avoid deportation

Published: July 31, 2012

Young people who are in the United States and are undocumented can possibly avoid deportation and be given the opportunity to work but should not take action yet to apply for this special program, Catholic Charities of Arkansas said this week.

On June 15, President Barack Obama announced a plan to develop a program to defer the possibility of deportation for certain young people for two years and give them the chance to work legally, possibly get a driver's license and maybe attend college at reduced in-state-resident rates.

CCA said the young people cannot apply for the process yet because the government is taking time to develop the process and any applications submitted early will be rejected. The government has promised to have its new process in place in mid-August.

Once the process is in place, a successful applicant must meet the following criteria:

came to the United States younger than 16 years old

is not older than 30 years old

has continuously lived in the United States for at least five years preceding June 15, 2012, and was present in the United States on June 15, 2012

is currently in school, has graduated from high school, has obtained a general education certificate or is an honorably discharged veteran of the Coast Guard or Armed Forces of the United States;

has not been convicted of a felony offense, a significant misdemeanor offense, multiple misdemeanor offenses or otherwise poses a threat to national security or public safety.

The applicant must be at least 15 years old, CCA said.

"This process, if implemented, is a valuable temporary measure until Congress can complete comprehensive immigration reform," said Patrick Gallaher, CCA director. "It has limits: it is not amnesty, it is not immunity, it is not a pathway to a green card or citizenship, it does not create legal status or the right to vote, and it does not qualify youths to petition for immigration benefits for family members."

Ahead of getting the official paperwork from the federal government and working with an attorney or authorized agency like Catholic Charities Immigration Services in Little Rock and Springdale, there are some things young people can do.

Get official copies of your transcripts, church documents and other proof of how long you've been here; records of taxes, rent and mortgages paid.

Be sure your passport is current and that you're registered for the Selective Service if you're a male between ages 18 and 26.

If you dropped out of high school, get your GED quickly.

Sit down with your parents to make sure you know the whole story of how you came to be in this country.

Virginia immigration attorney Vanessa Rodriguez spoke at a town hall meeting July 11 in Arlington, Va., to try to explain what is known about "deferred action" and what remains to be determined.

Among the unknowns:

Will it matter if you've been working under someone else's Social Security number?

Will applying for deferred action put the applicant's parents and other family members at risk of deportation, since authorities will know where to find them?

Will offenses committed by a juvenile count against her if she's applying as an adult?

Will states issue driver's licenses to recipients of deferred action?

If an application is denied, will the applicant be at increased risk of deportation since the government will have new information about him?

Will approved applicants be able to get work permits immediately or will that entail a second application process?

What happens if someone else is in the White House?

Young people interested in the process should seek the advice of an attorney or an agency authorized to practice immigration law. Gallaher cautions anyone against using a "notario" for completing the paperwork.

For more information, call Catholic Immigration Services in Little Rock at (501) 664-0340 ext. 314, or in Springdale at (479) 927-1996 ext. 301.

Catholic News Service contributed to this article.