Trump administration announces end of DACA immigration protection program

The White House confirmed its decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which provides work permits to nearly a million undocumented immigrants who came to the United States as minors with their parents.

DACA was established by executive action in 2012 by former President, Barack Obama to enable undocumented immigrants who had come to the United States with their parents to apply for a two-year work permit which prohibited the possibility of deportation.

Trump wrestled with the decision, Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in the daily White House press briefing on Monday. She added that Trump had spoken with people both opposed and in favour of the program, including its recipients, although she did not provide any specifics.

With the Trump Administration’s announcement, current recipients of the program whose benefits will expire within six months have until October 5 to apply for a renewal. DACA requests submitted after September 5 will not be accepted, and requests for renewals that have already been submitted will be assessed on an individual basis, Times reports.

The Trump Administration has decided to phase out Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, the Obama-era program that has shielded almost 800,000 immigrants from deportation for the past five years. ⠀ ⠀ “This is not a little matter, ending the previous administration’s disrespect for the legislative process is an important first step,” Sessions said.⠀ ⠀ Video source: AP

A post shared by TIME (@time) on Sep 5, 2017 at 9:21am PDT