Why in news?
U.S. President Donald Trump has decided to revoke the DACA policy that protects the children of immigrants.
What is DACA?
- Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy is an Obama-era executive action designed to protect those who arrived in the U.S. as children accompanying their undocumented migrant parents.
- Obama administration’s viewed that as long as such childhood arrivals integrated lawfully and productively into American society, there could be no reasonable argument to send them back.
- On the contrary, Mr. Trump had promised to crack down on all forms of undocumented immigration and hence called for DACA’s revocation.
- Consequently, nearly 800,000 people in the U.S. now face the possibility of losing their jobs, driver’s licences and university seats and even deportation.
What is the current situation?
- Now, the buck is effectively with the Congress to come up with a law for a lasting solution to the problem.
- No new applications are being processed currently and existing beneficiaries requiring renewal of permits for a further two-year period before March 2018.
- Beyond that deadline, their continuance in the U.S. would require lawmakers to come up with a new bill similar to the previously proposed (but failed) “Development, Relief & Education for Alien Minors” - (DREAM) Act.
How does the future look?
- If an immigration bill gets passed, the painful questions surrounding visa issues could be laid to rest.
- This would help foster a climate of greater predictability for businesses.
- Given the hostile political climate, there is a real risk that short-term calculations force lawmakers to overlook the need for a more robust and a sustainable remedy.
Source: The Hindu
