DACA: What the Hell is Happening?

It’s been all over social media and the news for a month: the Trump Administration is expected to make an announcement about the future of DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) tomorrow, an Obama-era executive order that protects children brought illegally into the United States by their immigrant families and gives them a (heavily-vetted) opportunity to get jobs, attend college, and hold a “protected” status from deportation. They must renew this status every 2 years for roughly $500 in order to remain protected.

Last night, a rumor about Trump’s decision exploded into the American media stream: Trump has decided to end DACA, albeit with a six month grace period for political leadership to revise it and come up with a better plan. As you can imagine, DREAMers (as DACA participants are often called) are now mobilizing to figure out what happens next to them and their families. Details are few and far between, given the fact that Trump won’t give his official announcement until tomorrow, Tuesday, 5 Sept.