ME.
>> THE FEDERAL IMMIGRATION
POLICY ROLLERCOASTER IS ON A
POSITIVE GLIDE PATH AT THIS
MOMENT FOR THE DEFERRED ACTION
FOR CHILDHOOD ARRIVING, OR DACA
PROGRAM, FOLLOWING A FEDERAL
COURT RULING THIS WEEK.
THERE ARE SOME 6600 DACA
RECIPIENTS IN WISCONSIN.
THESE ARE UNDOCUMENTED
IMMIGRANTS BROUGHT TO THE U.S.
AS CHILDREN AND ALLOWED TO
RECEIVE A RENEWABLE TWO-YEAR
PERIOD OF DEFERRED ACTION FROM
DEPORTATION AND BECOME ELIGIBLE
FOR A WORK PERMIT IN THE U.S.
MORE CHILDHOOD ARRIVALS ARE
WAITING TO APPLY.
ERIN BARBATO IS ADMINISTRATOR OF
THE JUSTICE CLINIC AT THE UW LAW
SCHOOL AND JOINS US NOW.
THANKS VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
>> THANKS SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.
>> SO THE COURT RULED THAT NEW
APPLICATIONS TO THE DACA PROGRAM
CAN RESUME AFTER THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION HAD BLOCKED THEM.
HOW MANY PEOPLE DOES THAT AFFECT
IN WISCONSIN?
>> SO THE ESTIMATES ARE QUITE
HIGH.
THERE ARE AROUND 6600 PEOPLE
CRURNLTLY WITH DACA IN WISCONSIN
AND ESTIMATES NOW SHOW THAT
THERE MAY BE ANOTHER 11,000
PEOPLE IN WISCONSIN WHO ARE
ELIGIBLE TO NOW APPLY AS INITIAL
APPLICANT.
>> SO WHAT HAS BEEN THE REACTION
TO THIS RULING FROM PEOPLE HERE
WANTING TO APPLY?
>> SO FROM MY EXPERIENCE WORKING
WITH MY CLIENTS AND OTHER
NONPROFITS WHO DIRECTLY WORK
WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE ELIGIBLE FOR
DACA OR DREAMERS IS FINALLY
THERE'S SOME GOOD NEWS.
I THINK WE WERE ALL ANTICIPATING
THAT WHEN PRESIDENT-ELECT BIDEN
BECOMES PRESIDENT THAT WE WOULD
HAVE INITIAL APPLICATIONS FOR
DACA ELIGIBLE AVAILABLE AGAIN.
BUT THIS CAME A LITTLE BIT
EARLIER.
AND WAY TOO LATE.
PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SUFFERING IN
LIMBO AND THROUGH ATTACKS FROM
THIS ADMINISTRATION FOR YEARS
NOW AND FINALLY THE RIGHT
DECISION CAME OUT.
SO THERE'S EXCITEMENT, BUT IT'S
ALSO JUST THE BEGINNING OF A
FIGHT FOR A PERMANENT SOLUTION
FOR PEOPLE WITH DACA TO HAVE A
ROAD TO CITIZENSHIP IN THE
UNITED STATES.
>> MORE ON THAT IN A MOMENT, BUT
HOW MEANINGFUL IS IT FOR THESE
YOUNG PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO GET
WORK PERMITS AND DRIVER'S
LICENSES AND PROTECTION FROM
DEPORTATION?
>> I CAN'T SPEAK FOR THEM
MYSELF, BUT WHAT I KNOW FROM MY
CLIENTS AND OTHER DREAMERS I
KNOW IN WISCONSIN, IT'S
INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE
WHO HAVE BEEN HERE ALMOST THEIR
OWN LIVES.
THEY'VE BEEN LIVING IN FEAR
UNDER THIS ADMINISTRATION FOR
NOT ONLY LOSING THEIR DRIVER'S
LICENSES OR ABILITY TO WORK BUT
ALSO FOR FEAR OF DEPORTATION,
PERMANENT SEPARATION FROM THE
ONLY COUNTRY THEY'VE EVER KNOWN,
SEPARATION FROM THEIR FAMILY.
SO IT'S BEEN HORRIFIC.
SO THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF
BREATHING ROOM AND REPRIEVE, BUT
THE WORK IS JUST STARTING.
>> SO THERE IS MORE BECAUSE IN
ADDITION TO TWO YEARS OF
PROTECTION FROM DEPORTATION
PEOPLE WOULD LIKE THE PATH TO
CITIZENSHIP FOR THEMSELVES AND
THEIR PARENTS.
SO WHAT ABOUT THAT?
>> SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT
EVERYONE HAS BEEN WORKING
TOWARDS FOR MANY, MANY YEARS IN
TERMS OF THE DREAM ACT, WHICH
WAS REALLY STARTED BEING
DISCUSSED IN 2000.
SO IT'S BEEN ALMOST 20 YEARS
WITH NOTHING HAS COME TO
FRUITION.
SO THIS IS REALLY THE TIME WHERE
CONGRESS IS GOING TO NEED TO ACT
TO CREATE A PATHWAY TO
CITIZENSHIP FOR OUR DREAMERS AND
OUR DACA RECIPIENTS.
PRESIDENT-ELECT BIDEN CAN'T DO
IT ON HIS OWN.
HE CAN CONTINUE TO ALLOW DACA TO
EXIST, BUT HE'S NOT GOING TO BE
ABLE TO GENERALLY WITH HIS
POWERS CREATE THIS PERMANENT
PATHWAY TO CITIZENSHIP.
SO IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE AN
ACT THROUGH OUR LEGISLATURE.
>> SO WHAT ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS
THAT COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION
POLICY WILL BE TAKEN UP IN
CONGRESS?
>> I AM OPTIMISTIC.
I THINK OUR COUNTRY, THE PEOPLE
HAVE SEEN HOW THESE INDIVIDUALS
HAVE SUFFERED UNDER THIS CURRENT
ADMINISTRATION IN A WAY THAT'S
REALLY UNIMAGINABLE AND
INHUMANE.
SO PUBLIC SUPPORT OF DACA IS
CLEAR.
SO I'M REALLY HOPING THAT OUR
GOVERNMENT CAN COME TOGETHER TO
DO THE RIGHT THING AFTER SO MANY
YEARS OF SUFFERING.
>> AND JUST BRIEFLY, THE NUTS
AND BOLTS OF IT, IF YOU ARE A
PERSON THAT HAS BEEN AWAITING
BEING ABLE TO APPLY, HOW DO THEY
DO THAT?
>> SO WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT IS
THAT PEOPLE WHO MAY BE INITIALLY
ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR DACA TO
HAVE A REPUTABLE ATTORNEY OR
REPRESENTATIVE TO ENSURE THAT
THEY ARE TRULY ELIGIBLE AND
DON'T PUT THEMSELVES IN FURTHER
RISK OF DEPORTATION OR GIVING
THE GOVERNMENT INFORMATION THAT
WOULD PUT THEM IN DANGER.
SO ON IT'S IMPORTANT TO REACH
OUT TO TRUSTED NONPROFITS OR
IMMIGRATION ATTORNEYS THAT CAN
REALLY GIVE SOMEONE THE
INFORMATION THAT THEY NEED IN
ORDER TO ENSURE THEIR SAFETY AND
THEIR FUTURE.
>> OKAY.
GOOD ADVICE.
ERIN BARBATO, THANK YOU VERY
MUCH FOR