President Donald Trump's call to end the federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program has some Missourians on edge about the future of immigrants and undocumented children.
However, before calling it quits, local officials recommend the undocumented population get informed about their options.
"There are a lot of questions out there pertaining to DACA and the president's call for action, but the best thing for everyone to do including those who may be affected is to get educated," said Alberto Hernandez III, attorney at Gibbs, Pool and Turner, P.C. in Jefferson City.
Hernandez has specialized in immigration law and policy since 2005.
"I don't have an exact count of immigrants who are eligible, but there is a larger immigrant population in Mid-Missouri than people may expect there to be," he said.
Trump announced Tuesday his administration would bring an end to the five-year program that provides protection to immigrant children who were mostly raised in the United States - having lived in the country before age 15.
In Missouri, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services accepted 3,883 DACA applications through March, according to the Migration Policy Institute.
Immigrants who are granted deferred action status are granted relief from deportation and a work permit for a two-year period.
Since the announcement, several area agencies and public servants have voiced opposition to interfering with the future of affected immigrant children, emphasizing they had no choice in where they were brought.
John R. Gaydos, bishop for the Catholic Diocese of Jefferson City and general chairman of the Catholic Bishops of Missouri, stood in unison with bishops statewide to emphasize many young adults came to the United States as young children and have never known any home but this country.
"Enacting a new DACA program, however, would not only be compassionate, it would benefit the common good," Gaydos said.
U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Missouri, shared those sentiments, adding more than 90 percent of DACA participants are in school or working and many have served in the military.
"Taking young people who were brought here through no fault of their own and have never known another country, and kicking them out of America is as dumb as it is counterproductive," McCaskill said in a news release. "Republican leaders in Congress should use this opportunity to finally stop sitting on their hands and tackle this issue so there is certainty and the rule of law to allow these young people to keep contributing to America."
In a separate news release, U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Missouri, said the current state of the program has left DACA recipients in legal limbo for too long.
"Congress now has a responsibility to work toward a legislative solution," Blunt said.
The Trump administration is giving Congress six months to come up with a legislative fix before the government stops renewing permits for people already covered by the program, the Associated Press reported.
As a rule of thumb, the Department of Homeland Security has the power to make certain decisions about enforcement of immigration laws. Only Congress, through its legislative authority, has the power to create a path to permanent lawful status and citizenship.
Hernandez said the most important thing for affected immigrants to do is ask their congressmen and congresswomen to take a serious look at immigration reform and not be afraid to ask questions.
"The best way to prepare for the changes to come within the next six months or so is for immigrants seeking DACA or work eligibility is to utilize resources such as the American Immigration Council, the American Civil Liberties Union and Catholic Charities of Central and Northern Missouri immigration services department or call an immigration lawyer," Hernandez said.
For more information on resources for immigrants, visit the websites of the AIC, aclu-mo.org; ACLU, americanimmigrationcouncil.org; or Catholic Charities of Central and Northern Missouri, cccnmo.org.
Advocates in higher education institutions also have said immigration reform should not interfere with the progress made by many students who have been granted deportation relief through the program.
Michael Middleton, interim president at Lincoln University, said DACA provides hope to those protected at higher education institutions across the country.
"In higher education, we believe strongly in creating the authors of tomorrow, no matter where their story began," Middleton said. "The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program provides hope to a population that entered this country when that same hope could not be found elsewhere."
University of Missouri System leaders disclosed in an emailed statement that more than 35 students across the system's four campuses are currently protected under DACA, noting UM System officials are willing to work closely with those students "to provide support and guidance during this period of uncertainty."