New York City Comptroller Brad Lander has joined a national alliance of 27 states and local agencies, urging the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to extend the period of protection for undocumented immigrants in the Deferred Action for Labor Enforcement (DALE) program from the current two years to at least four years.
DALE provides protection from deportation for undocumented immigrants who have been exploited or abused by employers, allowing them to cooperate with law enforcement investigations and testify against unscrupulous employers. Currently, the period of deferred deportation is two years, with the option to apply for an extension upon expiration. However, the national alliance, led by the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, the Illinois Attorney General’s Office, and the Seattle Office of Labor Standards, argues that these cases often require more than two years to complete enforcement actions. Therefore, they jointly wrote to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on July 2, urging the extension of the protection period to at least four years.
The letter points out that while undocumented immigrant workers can apply for an extension after the two-year protection period expires, the application process is complex and cumbersome, with no guarantee of approval. If undocumented immigrants lose their protection from deportation before investigations and related enforcement actions are completed, they may be unable to continue serving as witnesses or assisting law enforcement agencies in holding illegal employers accountable, undermining enforcement efforts and allowing these violators to go unpunished. Hence, the alliance urges DHS to extend the protection period for deferred deportation to four years.
Lander further emphasized that immigrant workers make significant contributions to the national economy, but his office often witnesses undocumented immigrants hesitating to come forward as witnesses due to fears of retaliation or deportation while enforcing New York City’s current wage laws. He believes that only by extending the protection period can workers feel empowered to stand up without fear.