Last week, a federal appeals court decided to continue blocking implementation of two immigration programs. The initiatives would extend and expand opportunities to millions of America’s undocumented immigrants. We talk with a local immigration rights advocate about why she’s unhappy with the decision, along with a former MSU employee whose family is impacted by the decision.
Last week, the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lower court ruling to block an extended immigration program the White House enacted in 2012. The court effectively halted the DACA-Plus program. The original DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) allows children of undocumented immigrants to file for work permits. The extended program would apply to an older group of immigrants.
The appeals court ruling now sets the stage for a possible U.S. Supreme Court case that could decide whether President Obama’s executive order will stand.
Current State talks with Aida Cuadrado, an organizer with the group Action of Greater Lansing, and Oscar Castaneda, an immigrant from Guatemala who’s an expert in geographic information systems. His family is subject to the DACA program.