DACA Recipients Approved Despite Arrest Histories

The sixth anniversary of DACA is coming up and the House of Representatives will soon be reflecting on the Obama-era amnesty to debate on some legalities. Concerns were put in the minds of representatives after a new data report released by the government noted the numbers of "Dreamers" who committed crimes and were still allowed to stay in the U.S. 

Ten people were arrested on murder charges and retained their permission to live and work in the U.S. Thirty-one people had rape charges on their records and nearly 500 had been accused of sex crimes. More than 2,000 had been arrested for drunken driving. All of these people were still approved for DACA.

When the government initially granted them status, 7 percent of the total Dreamers had a criminal record and around 8,000 racked up criminal charges after they'd been approved. 

According to the rules laid out under the Obama administration, someone with a felony conviction, a “significant” misdemeanor or three non-significant misdemeanors are supposed to be ineligible for DACA.

Since the ineligibility requirement contains only actual convictions, many Dreamers have lengthy arrest records with more than 1,200 people arrested between five and nine times and still winning DACA. 

The House will debate this week on an immigration bill that would grant citizenship rights to some DACA recipients and illegal immigrants. 

The bill relies on convictions as well so people with rape and murder arrests could be eligible for citizenship.  

Photo: Getty Images 


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