Federal administration proposes to increase applications for citizenship, DACA and other processes

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a motion to send a letter to Chad Wolf, acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), stating his rejection of the proposal to increase charges for migration requests. But they also warn that they consider filing a lawsuit to prevent the alleged increase from taking effect.

"This administration has launched another attack against working immigrants by proposing an increase in the collection of citizenship applications by 83% to exclude working-class and low-income immigrants from United States citizenship," he said. Supervisor Hilda Solís.

Under the proposal of the federal administration, The cost of citizenship applications would increase from $ 640 to $ 1,170.

It is also proposed to charge $ 50 for a fee to process your application, to asylum seekers. Plus another $ 490 for a work permit.

Supervisor Hilda Solis has filed several motions in the county in defense of immigrants. (Aurelia Ventura / La Opinion)

"The United States is on its way to becoming one of the four nations in the world to charge asylum seekers a payment for seeking humanitarian protections," said Supervisor Solis.

"This is contrary to the ancient promise of this country to help and protect vulnerable children and families fleeing persecution and death threats in their native countries," he said.

"It is an inhuman and insensitive proposal for a nation that has benefited and been founded by the hard work of immigrants", I note

According to supervisors, the proposed collection schedule is a reflection of direct hostility and contempt for all forms of migration.

While the Supreme Court of the Nation reviews the administration's effort to end the DACA program, the federal government has proposed also increase the cost of DACA from $ 495 to $ 765 for hundreds of thousands of dreamers.

The federal government also wants to increase the cost of applications to renew DACA. (Aurelia Ventura / The Opinion)

To aggravate the situation, more than $ 22 million of the income collected from the increases in these charges will be transferred to the Migration and Customs Service (ICE) to strengthen their efforts in the arrest, investigation, detention and deportation of immigrants.

“This reprehensible measure that is nothing more than a movement calculated to change the burden of the police execution of immigration on the shoulders of our immigrant communities. It is immoral and aberrant, ”said the supervisor.

"I stand in solidarity with the 3.5 million immigrants who call Los Angeles County home"He remarked.

With the approval of the motion of the Board of Supervisors, Los Angeles County will send a letter with five signatures making clear its opposition to the proposed law to the county delegation in Congress. They will also present a broad public comment in disagreement and monitor the development of the proposal.

Since taking office as a supervisor, Solís has submitted 48 motions to protect, defend and fight for the rights of immigrants since the 2016 presidential election.

His efforts have included a motion to contribute $ 3 million to the Los Angeles Justice Fund, and for the creation of the first County Immigrant Affairs Office.

Reactions

Francisco Moreno, spokesman for the Council of Mexican Federations (COFEM), said they are encouraged that the Board of Supervisors has taken another step to protect the interests of immigrants.

“This increase in migration service rates is unfair. They want to upload a lot. Our people cannot pay for such increases. We hope that the Board of Supervisors will take the decision made today so that at least the federal administration does not raise prices so much for its services, not as much as they want, ”he said.

COFEM is one of the organizations in the county that helps in filling out citizenship applications for immigrants who are already legal residents and who qualify for naturalization.

"There are three things that cause people to postpone that step, the price of the application, English and laziness; but without a doubt, money is number one, and if they increase more, they will be more difficult for them to have access to U.S. citizenship"He remarked.

The proposed increase in migration rates is planned to take effect on December 2.

A few weeks later, on the same day, a new policy begins to only exempt those who prove with their low-income tax returns from the citizenship. Previously, it was only enough to show that people received public benefits to qualify for payment forgiveness for the citizenship application.

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