When the Trump administration announced it was phasing out the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, it allowed some present DACA recipients a chance to renew. People whose expires between now and March 5 of next year, can get eight extension, but those renewal requests must be filed by October fifth, that's just two weeks from today. The California Department of Social Services is giving out grants to certain agencies to help cover the $495 renewal fee for low income DACA applicants. Alliance San Diego and Jewish foundation are offering help. Welcome to the program. Kate Clark is an immigration attorney with Jewish family services of San Diego. The governor of Rhode Island recently announced the state, plus private donors with renewal fees for everyone in the state. Are any officials in California making a similar pledge? As you stated, California was later site money for providers throughout the state of -- Jewish family service is one of the agencies that receive those funds specifically to cover low income applicants that are applying for their renewal. It was the fourth $95 filing fee, that is California's attempt at recipients that are living within the state. County people do you think are eligible for renewal in San Diego? We estimated at 3300 individuals are eligible to renew. We are offering a free assistance as well, and the filing fee victim throughout workshops. Our B hundred and 25 appointments. Jewish family services offering a workshop on 27 September, right now our capacity is hundred and 80 individuals, but I know that through the committee of volunteers and staff that we have, outside of the workshop, if a dog got recipient is not able to attend the workshop, make every effort to help the person file their renewal before October 5. To activity have you seen from DACA recipients the past few weeks? They know that there is a deadline coming up? My biggest fears, that folks are not aware that this deadline is coming up. And they may miss out on renewing, so, what we've been hearing from our phone calls is that they've been hearing a lot of misinformation in the news online, they're trying to get a sense of what the state's and what they need to do. There is confusion. We are trying to make sure we are ahead of that. You're a dog got recipient, have you been able to review? Yes I was able to renew, I am okay for the time being. To be clear, if someone's DACA status is not expire until March, they will not be able to apply for renewal after October 5, two weeks from now? It's a point of clarification needs to be made, the application needs to be received by US mail out fifth, it's not a post I date. We will be Mary -- mailing out these, just to make sure that the applicants have the applications. No one who is not already part of the program can apply from the program anymore, this is just for renewals? Yes, there are no new applications being accepted. You not offering legal advice, but should anyone eligible to renew, should they do so? Of the downsides, it depends on the case, I would encourage those individuals to reach out, they need to speak with a qualified attorney or Department of Justice representative, for example, under the new priorities that President Trump has announced, there are criminal activities that may not be in the best interest for an applicant to apply. But again, it needs to be assessed with a case-by-case analysis. What the criteria that make someone eligible for financial help from your agency to pay for the talker renewal fee? Is folks are eligible to renew, making sure that the permits expire between September 5 and March 5, and there is no other issue that we need to take, it make an appointment with us, you will be able to provide the stipend to cover the fee. Yes, we will assess each case on a case-by-case basis. For us to see, the individual needs to be low income. So that would be under 30% of the poverty guidelines. To your agencies are holding workshops about the renewal, alliance San Diego has a workshop tomorrow at the church of the resurrection, I've been speaking with these people. Thank you both.
California Gov. Jerry Brown and legislative leaders last week allocated $20 million for nonprofits to help Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients renew their status. Some of that money will cover the $495 application fee for low-income DACA recipients based on demand.
President Trump said earlier this month he would phase out the program, but recipients whose status would expire between Sept. 5 and March 5 have until Oct. 5 to reapply one last time.
Jewish Family Service of San Diego has received a portion of the California funds, which it says will cover 180 low-income applicants' fees. The group is holding a DACA renewal workshop Sept. 27 at its Kearny Mesa office.
Agencies and schools are also using non-state funds to help cover those fees. Alliance San Diego said it received donations and grants that will allow it pay for about 120 applicants. Alliance is holding a workshop Friday at Church of the Resurrection in Escondido.
UC San Diego said it has about 50 students eligible to renew their DACA status and the university has secured funds to support all of them. Mission Asset Fund has set aside $500,000 for students at community colleges, California State universities and University of California schools.
Alliance San Diego estimated there are about 3,300 DACA recipients in San Diego and Imperial counties who are eligible to renew.
Kate Clark, an immigration attorney with Jewish Family Service of San Diego, and Itzel Guillen, Alliance San Diego's immigrant integration manager, joined KPBS Midday Edition on Thursday to discuss their DACA renewal outreach.
