Colorado U.S. Democrats Neguse, Bennet say immigration backlog is having collateral impact

Colorado's Rep. Joe Neguse and Sen. Michael Bennet are sounding an alarm on federal immigration problems.

Both Democrats say a backlog at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, which oversees the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, is wreaking havoc on the lives of Colorado "Dreamers" (the program recipients) and their employers.

DACA was created by former President Barack Obama's administration 14 years ago, and it provides temporary legal status and work permits for about 800,000 undocumented immigrants who moved to the United States as kids children.

Recipients must meet strict criteria, including no criminal record and renew their eligibility every two years. But Neguse says those renewals are now taking so long that many are losing their permits and protection. He says there are more than 12,000 "Dreamers" in Colorado, who are not only part of the fabric of the state, but an essential part of the state's economy.

"Who we're talking about, are Coloradans, who are healthcare workers, first responders, law enforcement, wildland firefighters," Neguse told CBS Colorado.

"All they're looking to do is have the chance to work and do so lawfully," Bennet told CBS Colorado.

But Bennet says a USCIS backlog is delaying the renewal of deferred status for many recipients.

Renewals that once took two weeks are now taking more than two months, and longer in some cases, say "Dreamers" and their advocates, causing many to lose their work permits and the only protection they have from deportation.

Last month, USCIS Spokesman Zach Kahler told CBS News Colorado, "Under the leadership of President Trump, USCIS is safeguarding the American people by more thoroughly screening and vetting all aliens. DACA does not confer any form of legal status in this country. Illegal aliens claiming to be recipients of DACA are not automatically protected from deportation. Any illegal alien who is a DACA recipient may be subject to arrest and deportation for a number of reasons —including if they committed a crime."

"Their goal, I believe, is to essentially cast our "Dreamers," these members of our community, into such significant limbo that they eventually leave the country," Neguse said.

Both Colorado members of Congress say they have been helping those they can on a case-by-case basis.

"I had a mayor in Colorado call me about a police officer who's a 'Dreamer' that they thought they were actually going to lose altogether, and were worried that they'd be deported," Bennet said. "That's actually the first one of these stories that in the last year that I heard about."

As the backlog has grown, calls for help have increased, prompting Bennet and Neguse to fire off a letter to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which administers the DACA program.

"Imploring them to, a lack of a better way to phrase it, get it together. Fix this mess," Neguse said.

The letter is signed by all of the Democrats in Colorado's congressional delegation.

Neguse and Bennet say it is just a first step to get a handle on the scope of the backlog, what's driving the delays, and whether "Dreamers" who lose their work permits due to the backlog could be deported.

In April, the Board of Immigration Appeals, the Justice Department body that reviews decisions made by immigration judges, ruled that having DACA status alone does not automatically require that deportation cases to be dismissed, potentially making it easier for the government to continue removal proceedings against some "Dreamers."