From Damon Key’s Immigration Practice Group: Scholars and Former INS/USCIS Attorneys Find President

Citing federal statutes, regulations, and historical precedent, 136 law professors wrote a letter to Congress stating that President Obama’s November 20 expansion of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and the creation of the Deferred Action for Parental Accountability (DAPA) program are within the legal authority of the executive branch of the U.S. government. Several former General and Chief Counsels of INS and USCIS also wrote a letter affirming the legal analysis and conclusions of the law professors.

USCIS expects to implement the new DAPA program within 180 days of the President’s November 20, 2013 address to the nation. DAPA will give parents of US citizen children under age 21 protection from deportation for three years, along with employment authorization. We expect the new program to be in effect by May. Persons who may benefit from DAPA should begin gathering documents proving they have been in the US since January 1, 2010, and that they are the parents of US citizen children.

BEWARE OF “NOTARIOS,” “TRAVEL AGENTS,” AND OTHER SCAM ARTISTS AND THEIR FALSE PROMISES. THEY ARE ONLY AFTER YOUR MONEY. IF YOU SEEK HELP FILING A DAPA APPLICATION, BE CERTAIN YOU ARE DEALING WITH A REPUTABLE IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY WHO IS A MEMBER OF THE AMERICAN IMMIGRATION LAWYERS ASSOCIATION.