Response from Thom Tillis
Dear Ms. S:
Thank you for taking the time to contact me regarding Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). I appreciate hearing from you.
As you are aware, on September 5, 2017, the Trump Administration announced it would end the Obama-era program, known as DACA, with a six month delay. I firmly believe that Congress, not the executive branch, must confront the issue of undocumented people who arrived as children through a decision made by their parents to stay in this country where they have begun to build their lives.
I recently introduced legislation with two of my Senate colleagues, Senator James Lankford (R-OK) and Senator Orin Hatch (R-UT), in an effort to fix the issue of undocumented children and young adults currently living in the United States. The Solution for Undocumented Children through Careers, Employment, Education and Defending our Nation (SUCCEED) Act is a fair, orderly, and conservative approach to address the long-term uncertainty facing undocumented youth. If enacted, individuals would be required to demonstrate they will be productive and law-abiding members of society to earn the opportunity to stay legally in the United States on a conditional basis.
In order for a person to become eligible for conditional permanent residency (CPR) status, he or she must have arrived in the United States before the age 16 and been continuously present in the country since June 15, 2012. Each person would have to pass an extensive criminal background check, which would include information obtained from INTERPOL, EUROPOL, and any other relevant law enforcement agencies to screen for criminal activity or gang affiliation. An individual is also required to have a high school diploma or an equivalency, pay any existing federal tax liability, submit biometric and biographic data to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and register for the military selective service.
Once CPR status is approved, they must commit to one or a combination of the three merit-based tracks, which include maintaining gainful employment, serving honorably in the military, or obtaining a post-secondary degree from an accredited institution. If an individual is eligible and requirements are met, they would be granted CPR status for an initial five year period, which is renewable for an additional 5 years. Aliens must remain in CPR status for 10 years in order to be eligible to apply for legal permanent residency or a “green card”, and must wait total of 15 years before applying for naturalization.
While I do agree Congress must permanently fix the problem of undocumented children who were brought to the United States at no fault of their own at a young age by their parents, I believe any successful legislative effort must be paired with measures to secure our borders to deter future illegal immigration. Securing our borders should include the use advanced technologies, such as aerial drones and satellites, and a robust force of Customs and Border Protection officers and Border Patrol agents are necessary ingredients to stemming the flow of illegal entry into our country. Updates to the border’s physical barrier, along with a smart use of border landscape that naturally impedes crossings, will deter foreigners as well as narcotics and other contraband from entering the United States illegally.
Please be assured that I am committed to reforming our immigration system, which includes finding a track for undocumented youth to eventually obtain a permanent legal status as well as addressing additional issues of border security and interior enforcement.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me. Please do not hesitate to get back in touch with me about other important issues.
Sincerely,
Thom Tillis
U.S. Senator