President Trump on Thursday assured immigrants covered by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program they have “nothing to worry about” until it expires in March.
“For all of those (DACA) that are concerned about your status during the 6 month period, you have nothing to worry about — No action!” the president tweeted.
Thousands of DACA recipients will have to act, however, in order to preserve their protections before the program ends.
Under Trump’s order, DACA recipients whose status expires before March 5 will be able to renew their status for two years as long as they apply before Oct. 5 of this year. New applications will not be accepted.
The president’s comments are unlikely to give comfort to DACA recipients who are worried what might happen to them after the program is phased out.
Even though he decided to wind down the program, Trump has called on Congress to pass legislation that addresses the future of young undocumented immigrants who have received reprieves from deportation.
But the president has not described how he wants Congress to handle the issue, saying that lawmakers should decide.
If lawmakers cannot come up with a way to “legalize DACA,” Trump tweeted Wednesday that he “will revisit the issue!”
Immigrant-rights groups have accused the president of sending mixed signals about DACA recipients who are struggling with their legal limbo.
“No mixed signal at all,” Trump told reporters Wednesday aboard Air Force One. “Congress, I really believe, wants to take care of this situation. I really believe it — even very conservative members of Congress.”
The Trump administration has said those who are eligible for DACA — young undocumented immigrants without a criminal record — will not become priorities for deportation after the program begins to wind down in March.
But officials did not rule out the possibility authorities could detain them and give an order for removal.
Advocacy groups are also worried immigration enforcement agencies could use the information DACA recipients gave to the federal government to target them.