De Blasio Administration Urges Eligible DACA and TPS Recipients to Avoid Any Interruptions in Immigration Status

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 16, 2018
CONTACT: mediabox@moia.nyc.gov, (212) 676-3013

Despite Trump Administration wind-down of DACA, past and current recipients can currently apply for renewals due to court injunctions

TPS re-registration period for Haiti and El Salvador ends on March 19

NEW YORK—The de Blasio Administration urges New Yorkers who have or have had DACA, as well as eligible TPS recipients, to connect with qualified immigration attorneys in order to avoid lapses in their status. Tens of thousands of New Yorkers have work authorization and protection from deportation under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) programs. But the Trump Administration’s terminations of these programs have put many immigrant beneficiaries at risk. The City has conducted extensive outreach to impacted communities to raise awareness on DACA and TPS. It is critical that impacted New Yorkers access free and safe immigration legal services available for all residents through ActionNYC by calling 311 and saying “ActionNYC.” 

“In spite of repeated failures of leadership in Washington, the City is stepping up to ensure immigrant New Yorkers have access to needed legal assistance,” said Bitta Mostofi, Acting Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs. “We encourage DACA recipients – as well as TPS recipients from Haiti, El Salvador, and Syria – to reach out to qualified immigration attorneys to review their options as soon as possible. TPS recipients from Haiti and El Salvador in particular need to take action before the March 19 re-registration deadline. Any New Yorker can call 311 and ask for ‘ActionNYC’ to connect with free and safe immigration legal services. In New York City, where immigrants are central to our identity, we will continue to fight for a permanent legislative solution for Dreamers and long-term TPS recipients.”

While the Trump Administration announced its plans to rescind the DACA program last fall, DACA recipients are currently able to renew their status. Thanks to court orders, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is required to accept renewal applications from individuals with active DACA status, as well as from those who previously had DACA. While we applaud the courts’ injunctions requiring U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to accept DACA renewals, DACA recipients are still at risk of losing their status and a permanent solution is needed. The Center for American Progress estimates that over 20,000 DACA recipients have fallen out of status since the Trump Administration rescinded the DACA program last fall.

While USCIS is currently required to accept DACA renewals, the City urges USCIS to make every effort to allow DACA recipients to maintain their status with minimal disruptions. USCIS has publicly stated that they will process applications in the order received, not in the order in which applicants’ statuses will expire. This does not account for the reality that a lapse in DACA status could be personally devastating to applicants, who could lose their jobs and protection from deportation as a result. While Congress continues to debate protections for Dreamers, the City urges the Trump Administration to process DACA renewal applications expeditiously.

An estimated 15,000 New Yorkers have TPS, including 5,400 Haitian New Yorkers and 4,000 Salvadoran New Yorkers. The City encourages TPS recipients from Haiti, El Salvador, and Syria to speak with an immigration attorney and review their options ahead of upcoming re-registration deadlines. TPS designations grant work authorization and protection from deportation to certain qualifying nationals, subject to periodic review by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Due to Trump Administration’s decisions to terminate TPS designations for Haiti and El Salvador, in disregard of the facts on the ground, Haitian and Salvadoran TPS recipients must re-register by Monday, March 19, to maintain their status before their TPS termination dates, July 22, 2019 and September 9, 2019, respectively. Additionally, Syria’s TPS designation was renewed for 18 months, but Syrian TPS recipients must re-register by May 4, 2018 to maintain their status.

The de Blasio Administration stands with Dreamers and TPS recipients in this time of uncertainty, and has fought for years to lower barriers to obtaining immigration benefits and protections for eligible NYC residents. The City is working with legal service providers across the five boroughs to provide resources and information to eligible DACA and TPS recipients. For the latest updates on DACA and TPS, New Yorkers can go to nyc.gov/DACA and nyc.gov/TPS.

Any New Yorker in need of any type of immigration legal help can call 311 and say “ActionNYC” to connect with safe and confidential legal services, in their neighborhood and in their language. The City encourages all DACA recipients to contact a qualified immigration attorney before submitting their materials. Resources may be available for DACA recipients seeking financial assistance to pay for DACA filing fees. New Yorkers can consult the New Economy Project NYC Dreamer Fund for more information

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