Lawyers say end of DACA could impact thousands in Kentucky

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ)- The Trump administration announced today its plan to end the Deferred Action Childhood Arrivals program or DACA.

An Obama-era executive action that shields young undocumented immigrants from deportation.

In the hours since the announcement, rallies and protests against President Trump’s order have popped up across the country including right here in Lexington.

Hundreds of people are expected to gather here in downtown Lexington for what they are calling a peaceful protest of President Trump’s decision to end DACA, which could make young people who were smuggled into the U.S. as children now vulnerable to deportation.

The official order, announced by Attorney General Jeff Session, says the government will no longer accept new applications from undocumented immigrants seeking protection from deportation under DACA and calls on Congress to replace the policy with new legislation before the program fully expires in March of 2018.

Lawyers here in Lexington say this change in policy could impact thousands of people in central Kentucky alone and say they’re worried the President’s decision will hurt some of what they say are the most innocent of undocumented immigrants.

“Most of these DACA recipients are kids and for them they were here when they were months old so them entering unlawfully with their parents, you know its hard to impute that illegality onto them and that’s basically what’s happened now,” said Heather Hadi, an immigration lawyer in Lexington.

The rally will begin here in front of the courthouse at 6:30 p.m. where organizers say their goal is to bring the community together in support of undocumented immigrants.