“There are many pieces of paper that change our lives – a marriage certificate, a birth certificate – and a completed DACA application ranks right up there.”
By Maegan Vallejo, Individual Giving Coordinator
It’s early on a Saturday morning, and the smell of coffee is in the air. Though the wind is causing chaos outside, it’s peaceful in the church community room with the sun filtering in all of the large the windows. There are the noises of chairs unfolding, and laptops and printers being set up. Things were set to begin at 10 a.m., but there are already people waiting an hour earlier. There’s a small ripple of anticipation in the air before things get started.
This was a Saturday that was going to change lives. That Saturday, 36 people walked away with some peace of mind, security, and a little bit of hope because they’d now been given two more years in this country after renewing their DACA status.
For those who don’t know, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program was introduced in 2012:
“[DACA was established as] a stopgap measure that would shield from deportation people who were brought into the United States as children. The status is renewable, lasting two years at a time. The program does not provide a pathway to citizenship.
Participation in the program comes with a range of benefits. Along with permission to remain in the country, recipients can also get work permits, through which many have obtained health insurance from their employers.
The ability to work has also allowed them to pay for school, pursue higher education and, in some states, drive legally. The program also opened up access to in-state tuition and state-funded grants and loans in some states. And depending on where they live, recipients can also qualify for state-subsidized health care.” ~New York Times, January 2018
Many people with DACA status are between the ages of 16 and 35, and many of them were brought to America from Mexico, Central and South America, Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean when they were younger than 6 years old. Many of them have jobs, are starting their own families, are working on their education, volunteering, paying taxes – they are contributing members of our community.
The current administration ended DACA in September 2017. The Department of Homeland Security has announced that it will no longer accept new DACA applications, but those currently enrolled will be able to continue working until their permits expire. More importantly, the Department of Homeland Security also stated that those currently enrolled in DACA will be permitted to apply for two-year renewals.
The barrier for people, other than the complicated paperwork – complicated enough to need an attorney’s help – is that the renewal fee is $495. For an enterprising group of organizations and individuals, they saw these barriers as a challenge that they’d gladly work to bring down.
Back to that Saturday morning in the church community room. Coffee is still in the air, and now there’s the murmur of voices and keyboards clicking. Professor Violeta Chapin and her University of Colorado Law School students are helping individuals complete their DACA renewal applications. The applicants are asked if they can pay something toward the renewal fee, and if they can’t pay the full amount, they get the fee covered thanks to a few generous donors of the Community Foundation Boulder County. Foundation staff – including Elvira Ramos, Benjamin Martinez and myself – are there setting up, welcoming people, cleaning up, making coffee, running errands. From the Colorado Immigration Rights Coalition (CIRC) – a grantee of the Community Foundation – Erika Blum, Victor Galvan, and others are there to answer questions.
There are many pieces of paper that change our lives – a marriage certificate, a birth certificate – and a completed DACA application ranks right up there. But, don’t take my word for it. Please browse the testimonials gathered by CIRC on April 14.
There’s a lot of buzz and rhetoric going on at the national level about immigration, and just about everything else. I hope that this story helps cut through all of that to a local example of people working together to build a better community. If you’re feeling inspired and want to get involved, please contact the Community Foundation or one of the organizations mentioned below.
A very BIG thank you to:
- The generous Community Foundation donors who gave to cover the DACA renewal fees
- Professor Violeta Chapin and the University of Colorado Law School students
- The Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition for getting the word out, processing checks, collecting stories, and for all of the amazing work that you do every day
- YMCA of Boulder Valley, for processing checks
- United Church of Christ of Longmont, for providing the space
- Meghan Fay, for providing childcare
- Paul’s Coffee and Tea, for providing the delicious coffee and pastries
- Zonta’s Golden Z Girls, for volunteering and bringing Know Your Rights booklets, a project funded by the Boulder County Commissioners
