The University of Kansas School of Law is expanding free legal assistance for children brought into this country illegally by their parents. Under a program known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), some children have been allowed to remain in the U.S. legally to work and attend school.
While that program is being phased out, some recipients can renew their temporary immigration status before a deadline next month. The KU School of Law will provide free assistance to people seeking a DACA renewal.
KU's Melanie DeRousse says they were planning to only offer free help to Douglas County residents, but a larger-than-expected pool of volunteers is now allowing them to help anyone.
“It’s been wonderful. It was a surprise," DeRousse says. "It was great to see the KU law community coming together to do this for the community.”
The DACA program was created by an executive order issued by President Obama, but President Trump has announced that the program will end in less than six months. Trump wants Congress to decide what should be done with undocumented immigrants who were brought here illegally by their parents.
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Stephen Koranda is Statehouse reporter for Kansas Public Radio, a partner in the Kansas News Service. Follow him on Twitter @KPRKoranda.
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