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Deferred Action Records Requests To San Diego Unified Higher Than Expected

Deferred Action Records Requests Higher Than Expected
San Diego Unified staff has been busy handling transcript requests from immigrants looking to take advantage of the new "Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals" program. So busy, in fact, that the office designated for such requests will serve at least a month longer than originally expected.

The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program allows immigrants brought here as children to stay in the country for two years, and get a work permit.

To be eligible for DACA, applicants must prove they have lived in the United States continuously since their arrival here.

Earlier in the month, San Diego Unified School District set up a central location to handle all DACA document requests.

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Bea Fernandez, who heads that office at the Ballard Parent Center in Old Town, said her five person staff sees 40 applicants seeking transcripts a day and answers 60 to 80 phone calls.

"We're just doing the best that we can to accommodate the huge number of requests," she said.

The Ballard Center was only slated to handle transcript requests until November. But, because of the high demand, Fernandez said it will continue to handle DACA requests until at least December 14.

Locally, some 20,000 immigrants could be eligible for Deferred Action.