Stanton donates $10,000 toward DACA renewals
Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton donated $10,000 from his campaign fund to help Arizona “dreamers” remain in the U.S, although the long-term future of the Obama-era immigration program remains in flux.
Stanton announced Tuesday he would sponsor 20 young people who are currently enrolled in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA, by paying their $495 renewal fee.
“Dreamers that benefit from the DACA program — they inspire me. They’re doing what we hope all of our young people will do,” Stanton said.
DACA was signed as an executive order by former President Barack Obama. It allows immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children to remain in the country and receive work permits if they are currently attending or have graduated from high school, or if they were honorably discharged from the U.S. military.
President Donald Trump’s administration announced its intention to wind down the program earlier this month. Trump has since said the program will end in about six months if Congress does not take action to place the DACA protections into law.
The federal government is no longer accepting new DACA enrollees, but current DACA-recipients can renew their applications prior to Oct. 5.
“If I can do just a little bit to help to keep them here and keep them on a positive path that’s the least I can do,” Stanton said.
The Trump administration’s announcement about ending the program spurred several politicians, business leaders and private foundations around the country to donate funds for DACA renewals as well.
Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo helped raise more than $170,000, according to the Providence Journal. An anonymous donor sent $125,000 to help DACA enrollees in Washington, according to ThinkProgress.
Locally, two anonymous foundations
agreed to pay the renewal cost for Arizona State University students who need to renew their DACA applications, University President Michael Crow told The State Press.
Stanton, who is expected to run for Congress next year, used money from his state campaign committee for his donation to Mi Familia Vota, a Latino advocacy group that will facilitate the DACA renewals.
According to the Federal Election Committee, money in a non-federal committee, like Stanton’s, cannot transfer to a federal campaign committee — which means he could not use it for a congressional race.
Stanton would not answer questions about what will happen to the $509,000 in his state campaign fund.
He said he made the donation without thinking about other political uses for the money because supporting dreamers is the right thing to do.
Mi Familia Vota Arizona State Director Eduardo Sainz said in a statement, “We are thankful to have leaders like Mayor Stanton, who advocates on behalf of immigrant communities.
“We challenge leaders across the state to also fight for immigrant communities, as Mayor Stanton is doing,” he said.