Washington DC, — Iowa Congresswoman Ashley Hinson says Congress may provide a reprieve for so-called DACA recipients or “Dreamers” — people who were brought into the country illegally when they were children, but Hinson says any adult who entered the country illegally should consider leaving now.
President-elect Trump has said he will declare a national emergency when he takes office on January 20th and start the largest deportation effort in US history.
According to US Citizenship and Immigration Services, there are nearly 22 hundred Iowa residents who were brought into the country illegally as children and have so-called DACA protection from deportation.
Hinson, a Republican from Marion, says she hopes Immigration and Customs Enforcement removal efforts target criminals.
A citizen of a foreign country must have a visa in order to legally work in the United States. The American Immigration Council estimates there are 52 thousand people living in Iowa who entered the country illegally and are not authorized to work.
However, Hinson says does not expect immigration raids in Iowa as deportations focus on the 40- or 50 thousand illegal immigrants with criminal records.
Nearly six percent of Iowa’s population is foreign-born. That includes those who have become naturalized US citizens, people with work or student visas as well as those who entered the country illegally. Hinson says once Congress has a bigger conversation about fixing the immigration system, one of her priorities will be helping DACA recipients who’ve applied for legal residency, but haven’t yet received what’s called a green card.
Hinson made her comments this weekend during an appearance on “Iowa Press” on Iowa PBS.
