The 2016 Presidential election is over and the American voters have spoken. The unexpected results were approved and celebrated by some, while others were overtaken by a great sense of fear and anxiety, especially minorities and immigrants.

For the communities we serve in particular, the greatest concern about the newly elected president is the uncertainty about his plans for immigration-related issues. Among some of his pledges during the campaign, he mentioned massive deportations and expressed, for instance, that Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), the executive order that protects DREAMERS from deportation and authorizes 2 year work permits, would be eliminated.

While the fear and uncertainty about the future of millions of families in this country are real, The Resurrection Project’s mission remains the same: to continue working tirelessly to represent and defend the interests of the Latino community and especially of those who don’t have a voice. Moreover, now more than ever, TRP will continue to offer legal counsel and organize the community to defend the rights of immigrants.

“Knowledge is power so we strongly encourage people to be proactive and seek information and guidance from reputable sources in order to be screened for any possible immigration options besides DACA, and ensure that they are well informed and aware of their rights,” said Erendira Rendon, Director of National Projects at The Resurrection Project.

“Our goal at TRP is to continue working with our immigrant community by providing up to date information on immigration policy, educational workshops and legal counseling to empower the individuals and the families we serve, and we pledge to continue to organize with partners and our immigrant leaders.”

Since the elections took place, TRP has been holding free informational seminars and workshops in order to shed some light on the new immigration landscape. On November 29th at 5:00pm, La Casa Resource Center will hold Informational Sessions and Legal Screenings to share updated information and offer an opportunity to screen people for other forms of immigration relief besides DACA. It is worth noting that out of the people that are eligible for DACA, 10% to 20% are usually also eligible for something better and more permanent.

Additionally, TRP is partnering with dozens of organizations and faith leaders to hold an interfaith vigil: Protected by Faith on Thursday December 1^st from 5:00pm to 6:00pm at the Chicago Temple, 77 W. Washington.

In the meantime, below are some general recommendations for our immigrant community:

DACA

The president-elect pledged to end DACA when he becomes President, which will be on January 20, 2017. Until them, DACA remains in place.

New DACA Applications: New applicants should be aware of the fact that the processing time is currently long enough that the new petitions would not be finalized until after January 2017, and it’s possible that under the new Administration DACA might be eliminated. As such, it may not be beneficial for new applicants to start the process/pay for the fees, not knowing what the fate of DACA will be.

DACA Renewals: At this time, it’s not known if the next Administration will eliminate existing DACA grants or if it will not allow DACA recipients to renew. However, renewing DACA now could allow a recipient to obtain a work permit that would last through one or two years into the next government. People who apply for a renewal soon may be successful, as they are currently being processed in about eight weeks.

Things to keep in mind:

• People with an approved advanced parole should take advantage of it. But they must return to the country before January 20th, 2017. Also, it is recommended that those planning on applying for advance parole should hold off.

• People should find out if they may qualify for any other form of relief besides DACA. However, they should be warned of fraudulent service providers and look for trustworthy organizations when seeking immigration advice.

• People should know their rights when coming into contact with immigration authorities (the ILRC created Red Cards to help citizens and noncitizens protect themselves against potential constitutional violations during ICE raids; go to https://www.ilrc.org/red-cards).

• People should avoid negative interactions with the police at all costs. A DUI or a conviction due to drugs can have permanent negative consequences for immigrants.

• It’s important for DACA applicants and other undocumented family members not to inadvertently waive their rights if they are placed in a fearful situation by immigration enforcement. By virtue of the US Constitution all applicants have a right to remain silent and to speak to an attorney before signing anything presented to them.

Learn more about TRP’s immigration services…

Participate in TRP’s Protected by Faith Vigil on December 1st. Learn more…

Upcoming Future of DACA workshop flyer – See below