At least 182 Kenyans living in the United States of America illegally were arrested while applying for citizenship to avoid deportation and become eligible for work permit.
The figures were released by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, an immigration policy that allows those with unlawful presence in the U.S after being brought in as children to receive a renewable two-year period of deferred action.
In order to apply for DACA, according to U.S news outlets, individuals must not have been convicted of a felony, significant misdemeanor, or three or more ‘non-significant’ misdemeanors not arising out of the same act.
They are also expected to not pose a threat to national security or public safety.
The report covered 78 countries globally, with Mexico recording the highest number of people arrested at 91,272, while Mali, New Zealand and Taiwan had the least number at 21.
A total of 118,371 non-U.S citizens were arrested, out of which 464 are of unknown descent.
As a region, Africa had 1,100 requestors arrested with North America recording the highest number at 107,669, while Oceania had the least number at 88.
The DACA policy, which was announced by former President Barack Obama in 2012, saw USCIS start accepting applications for the program on August 15, 2012.
By Paul Ombati
Source-citizentv.co.ke
Obama executive policy allows illegal Immigrants apply for work permit and travel documents
182 Illegal Diaspora Kenyans arrested while applying for citizenship in US
