Kirstjen Nielsen, the U.S. Homeland Security Secretary said no official decisions have been made yet by the White House regarding the future legal statuses of certain immigrants in the United States. Much speculation has circulated regarding possible citizenship for those in Florida and elsewhere previously protected under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA). Since the current administration’s announcement that it plans to do away with the program, many immigrants and immigrant advocates have been worried about possible increases in deportations throughout the nation.
Secretary Nielsen said the federal government still plans on pursuing plans to build a wall at the Mexican border. In the meantime, the executive branch is supposedly open to ideas regarding how to help immigrants who qualified for DACA protection during the prior presidential administration. Many are hoping a pathway to citizenship, or at least temporary legal residence, can be created for them.
Some say such immigrants should be happy with temporary solutions, such as permission to reside at 12 to 18-month intervals with the possibility for renewals. Others say it is far better to try to formulate permanent solutions that would allow such immigrants to remain in the United States indefinitely and also to seek naturalization if they so choose. In fact, one of the only facts certain about it at this point is that immigration issues are likely to continue to incite political debate in most arenas.
Citizenship remains a high priority to many Florida immigrants. The process is often complex and stressful. One way to alleviate some of the stress associated with many immigration processes is to seek assistance from an experienced immigration and naturalization law attorney before trying to rectify a particular problem.
Source: ABC, “Homeland chief: Wait and see on citizenship for immigrants”, Elliot Spagat, Jan. 2, 2018
