Just last week the Republican Party introduced the Solution for Undocumented Children through Careers, Employment, Education and Defending our Nation, better known as the SUCCEED Act, which, if passed, will replace the DACA Bill. Introduced by Senators Thom Hills, James Lankford and Orrin Hatch, the SUCCEED act will give current DACA recipients the option to earn conditional status through either one or a combination of three merit-based pathways.
Why introduce a new bill?
Earlier in September, President Donald Trump gave Congress six months to replace, or as he stated in a tweet: “legalize,” the Obama-era DACA Bill with a bill that takes a more “amnesty-first” approach. His reasoning was backed by concern for the safety of Americans and for those “victimized” by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals bill. Economically, this new bill would presumably increase the United States’ GDP by over $81 billion over a decade and would create 117,000 new jobs.
How can recipients earn conditional status?
The “legalized” SUCCEED Act offers current DACA recipients, who have lived in the U.S. since the age of 15 or younger and have lived in the U.S. since June 15, 2012, three merit-based pathways to earn their conditional status. Their status is contingent upon the following: recipients must either be employed, serving in the U.S. military, or pursuing post-secondary education. They can choose one, or a combination of the three.
Can you earn permanent status?
The short answer is yes. However, there are four, albeit lengthy, steps DACA recipients must follow in order to receive permanent status:
1. You must have lived in the US since age 15 or younger and have lived in the U.S. since June 15, 2012, or earlier.
2. Submit biometric and biographic data to the United States Department of Homeland Security, pass both the criminal and national security background checks, pass a medical exam and you must be on one of the conditional-status merit-based pathways mentioned above.
3. Get a five-year temporary status, maintain a clear record, stay off of welfare and continue on the merit-based pathway.
4. Extend temporary status for an additional five years, maintain a clean record and pass another round of criminal and national security background checks.
Once you have successfully done each step, you will be granted permanent resident status!
Courtesy: Raf Mildenhall
What is the main difference between DACA and SUCCEED?
While both bills apply to immigrants, phasing out DACA and transitioning to SUCCEED will primarily affect the extended family of immigrants as well as older immigrants seeking citizenship. Previously, DACA recipients were able to sponsor family members, allowing them temporary citizenship. However, the SUCCEED Act is only applicable for children who adhere to the age guidelines mentioned above. That leads to the second main difference between the two: age. Before DACA was rescinded by President Trump, potential recipients had to be under the age of 31 as of June 15, 2012; however, the SUCCEED act requires the recipient to be under the age of 15 as of June 15, 2012.
The SUCCEED Act has been met with opposition from both the left and right sides of the political spectrum, either for not allowing citizenship quick enough or, contrastingly, for allowing it all together. If you are for or against the SUCCEED Act, you can find your state representative at this site to voice your concern. Before the SUCCEED Act officially replaces the DACA bill, it must be accepted by Congress before becoming law, which is a process that can take upwards of a year. In the meantime, current DACA recipients can check for updates and frequently asked questions here.