San Francisco to cover cost of DACA renewal fees before Oct. 5 deadline
SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) - San Francisco will cover the cost of application fees for participants in the federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program who need to renew their enrollment before the Oct. 5 deadline.
San Francisco has previously subsidized application fees for the DACA program, which allows undocumented immigrants who arrived in the U.S. as children to seek deferment of deportation and work authorization and was renewable every two years.
The program, established through an executive order by President Barack Obama in 2012, includes approximately 223,000 people in California and around 800,000 nationwide.
President Donald Trump on Sept. 5 signed an executive order rescinding DACA. Trump's order means that no new applications will be accepted for the program and those already participating in the program can stay in it until their two-year expiration date.
Those whose documents expire before March 6 can apply for renewal up until Oct. 5.
Given the urgency of meeting the October renewal deadline, San Francisco is now paying all of the $495 fee. The funds will be provided through the Mayor's Office of Civic Engagement and Immigrant Affairs.
"These individuals are diligent students and dedicated workers who have only known this country as their home," Mayor Ed Lee said in a statement. "We are proud to pay for their DACA application fees and we will continue to advocate for comprehensive immigration reform in this country."
The city will hold a free DACA renewal workshop on Saturday at Mission High School at 3750 18th St. from 1-5 p.m. The workshop will include on-site legal assistance and screenings, and all renewal applications will be fully covered.
A number of lawsuits have been filed challenging the cancellation of DACA, including by the city of San Jose, more than a dozen states including California and the University of California.
In addition, efforts are afoot to pass legislation legalizing the DACA program in Congress, a move that Trump has said he supports.