On September 5, the Trump Administration put an end to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program – which for five years has shielded young undocumented immigrants from deportation and allowed them to work and come out of the shadows. The end of the program will upend the lives of nearly 800,000 people across the United States, but the changes won’t come instantaneously. Those whose DACA expires before March 5, 2018 can reapply by October 5, 2017 to get a two-year extension. However, this means that for many, they have to quickly come up with the $495 renewal fee that they previously had months to raise. It’s an amount of money that is cost-prohibitive to many, which is why the Mexican consulate in Chicago is providing financial aid to Mexican nationals.
“Mexican nationals should know that the Mexican government is providing financial and legal assistance to DREAMers that need it,” Luis Adrian Sosa Morales, of the Cosulate General of Mexico in Chicago, told Hoy. “We will always support them.”
The consulate will cover anywhere between $300 to the full $495 to those who qualify. To learn more, visit the Consulate at 204 S. Ashland Ave. or call its Protection Department at 312-738-2023 before October 5.