IMportant updates: November 2019

We have several important updates, resources, and actions to share!

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GEt Help for daca application renewals

IMPORTA Santa Barbara is offering free DACA renewal clinics*.
How to qualify:
DACA expiration before February 1, 2021.

Call to schedule your appointment at one of these offices:
Santa Barbara (805) 604-5060
129 E Carrillo St Month 2:30-6

Santa Maria (805) 453-0609
509 W Morrison Wed-Fri 2-6

Lompoc (805) 886-2199
604 E Ocean Suite E Mon-Wed 2-6

[email protected]
www.importasb.org

IMPORTA is a non-profit authorized to practice immigration law through trained “Accredited Representatives.” by U.S. Department of Justice

Update: 8/7/2020 Importa is no longer offering assistance with renewal fees. 

INFO Alert! USCIS fees to Increase!

On Friday November 8, 2019, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued its proposal to increase & add fees.

DACA Renewal fee 
will increase from $495 to $765

The citizenship application fee 
will increase from $640 to $1,170 & does not include biometrics!  

Asylum fee will be established 
And for the first time in history a $50 fee for Asylum

The fee plan will be open to public comment for 30 days starting Nov. 14.  The money raised through the new proposed fee schedule will be transferred to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Visit the following url to comment:
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/11/14/2019-24366/us-citizenship-and-immigration-services-fee-schedule-and-changes-to-certain-other-immigration 

DACA and the supreme court

​The CSU Board of Trustees and the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration* joined over 164 colleges and universities from across the country in signing an amicus brief (amicus curiae) in the case before the Supreme Court — a “friend-of-the-court” brief which demonstrates unwavering support for the roughly 700,000 young immigrants who came to the United States as children and who hold Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status.

The Supreme Court is ruling on the legality of the Trump Administration’s termination of DACA — not the legality of DACA itself.

*Cal Poly and Cuesta College are members

The case will be argued at the Supreme Court of the United States on November 12, 2019 with the court potentially handing down a ruling as soon as February 2020, which will determine whether DACA recipients will lose the ability to live, study, and work in the United States. The imminent threat of losing DACA protection places students at risk of losing employment, food security, housing, access to health care, educational opportunities, and the sense of safety and wellbeing.

Lower courts have already found DACA to be both legal and constitutional. We urge the justices to confirm the lower court rulings and reject the Trump Administration’s efforts to terminate this successful program. 

CALL TO ACTION
We urge all Central Coast colleges, universities, and k-12 administrators to: 

1. Formally issue a public statement reaffirming their support of the DACA program.
2. Assist eligible DACA recipients to renew their DACA and identify funding sources to assist with renewal fees. 
3. In the event that DACA is terminated, we urge all Central Coast colleges, universities, and k-12 leadership to rapidly create formal action plans to ensure affected students are able to continue their education without interruption, and specifically address the financial and mental health needs and impacts caused by DACA termination.