OHIO BMV TO BEGIN ISSUING TEMPORARY DRIVER LICENSES TO QUALIFIED DACA GRANTEES

OHIO BMV TO BEGIN ISSUING TEMPORARY DRIVER LICENSES TO QUALIFIED DACA GRANTEES COLUMBUS – Today the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) instructed the state’s Deputy Registrars to begin issuing temporary driver licenses to qualified Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) grantees, but only after first confirming applicants’ immigration documents via the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS) database. The extra security steps are designed to combat fraud or the use of counterfeit documents. BMV’s decision was established after reviewing guidance expressed by Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine that DACA grantees are eligible for temporary driver licenses under Ohio law. The BMV’s instructions to Deputy Registrars will ensure consistent procedures are followed statewide when issuing the temporary licenses. Confirmation of applicants’ immigrant documents will be made via the federal government’s immigration database to verify their authenticity. Upon verification of applicants’ documents they will be issued a non-renewable/temporary license valid for the time

DACA Dreamers in Iowa will be denied driver's license

Iowa DOT Will Not Issue Driver’s Licenses or Nonoperator IDs to Persons Granted Deferred Actionfor Childhood Arrivals Status

AMES, Iowa – Dec. 27, 2012 – The Iowa Department of Transportation has determined it will not issue driver's licenses or nonoperator identification (ID) cards to persons granted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals status by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, based on guidelines described by the U.S. Secretary of HomelandSecurity’s memorandum issued June 15, 2012. The Iowa DOT understands the exercising of this prosecutorial discretion by the U.S. Department of HomelandSecurity does not grant lawful status or a lawful immigration path to persons granted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals status. Rather, it is prosecutorial discretion extended in a blanket fashion to persons who are not lawfullyauthorized to be present in the United States. Under Iowa Code §§ 321.182, 321.190 and 321.196, a driver’s license or nonoperator ID card shall only be issued toa foreign national authorized to be present in the United States. Therefore, the Iowa DOT does not have the legal authority under current Iowa law to issue a driver’s license or nonoperator ID card to a person granted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals status (indicated on Form I-766, Employment Authorization Document, category C33).

Recent DACA statistics

USCIS statistics on DACA cases from 8/15/12 to 12/13/12 which shows a total of 355,889 accepted DACA requests for processing, 336,464 biometric services appointments scheduled, 157,151 requests under review, and 102,965 requests approved.

First DACA Approvals are in

I received my first two DACA approvals today. I guarantee these DREAMERS make the US a better place for you an me . #DREAM ACT #immigration

4500 undocumented young aliens granted Deferred Action under DACA program

Th United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) has granted 4,591 young undocumented aliens a two-year deportation reprieve under a new deferred action (DACA) program USCIS began receiving applications for the "Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals" program in August, and to date received 179,794 applications, according to the Department of Homeland Security. They have scheduled 158,408 of those for biometric appointments (fingerprint), where USCIS

will take applicants' fingerprints to conduct criminal background checks. No applicants have been officially denied yet. But DHS has sent 1,825 applicants that don't appear to qualify a "Notice of Intent to Deny" form, which gives them 30 days to provide more evidence or correct mistakes, or a "Request for Evidence," which gives them 84 days to fill in gaps in their application. If you think you qualify, please contact us.

Romney backs DACA and Dreamers ... Sort of

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney would end an Obama administration policy of Deferred Action or DACA allowing some young illegal immigrants to stay in the country and work, though anyone already granted a reprieve from possible deportation wouldn't see that permission revoked. Romney told The Denver Post on Monday that people who are able to earn the two-year reprieves to stay and work wouldn't be in danger of deportation if he is elected. His campaign later clarified that while Romney would honor permission to stay as granted under President Barack Obama, a Romney administration wouldn't grant such permission. Obama announced in June that he would prevent deportation for some people brought to the United States illegally as children. Applicants must not have a serious criminal record and must meet other requirements, such as graduating from high school or serving in the U.S. military. At the time, Romney criticized Obama for circumventing Congress and changing the policy a few months before the presidential election.