#ImmigrationWatch2017 | #Update to Topic #1: DACA | New Bi-Partisan Legislation Introduced in Senate
Today, Senators Dick Durbin and Lindsey Graham introduced a bill entitled, "The BRIDGE Act." The BRIDGE Act will protect DACA recipients from the incoming Trump Administration by creating a new status called "Provisional Protected Presence." Here is a break down of what Provisional Protected Presence status will look like:
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The bill will be in effect for 3 years from the date it becomes a law;
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It will be available to all current DACA recipients and those who are eligible for DACA who have not yet applied for the status;
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You must pay a fee, undergo a background check and meet all of the DACA eligibility requirements (for DACA eligibility requirements click here).
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You will be able get employment authorization so that you can legally work;
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Any information given to the U.S. government under for DACA or for provisional protected presence status cannot be us for immigration enforcement. In other words, you will not need to worry that the government will use the information they gave to deport you or your family members (there are exceptions though for national-security reasons and for non-immigration felony investigations), and;
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It will not provide recipients with a path to legal status or a green card.
Now we face the real challenge of getting both houses of Congress to approve the legislation. Congress recesses for the holidays next Friday, December 16, so it is unlikely to gain much traction before Congress comes back in session on January 3, 2017.
At least this is a step in the right direction to get DACA recipients some protection and piece of mind. #withDACA
*If you are in the United States and are worried about your ability to remain in the country, contact an experienced immigration attorney at The Shapiro Law Firm, LLC, to find out if we can help.*