Transcript Requests Flood In

New Work Pemit Policy Sparks Applications

— The new federal policy granting young undocumented immigrants a chance to receive work permits has resulted in a flood of transcript requests to area high schools over the past two months.

Linda Vinson, registrar at Springdale High School, said for about two weeks in late August and early September, she got an average of 40 to 50 transcript requests per day. She estimated that’s more than triple the average typically seen during that time of year.

“It’s slowed down a bit,” Vinson said. “Now it’s probably 10 to 15 per day.”

President Barack Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy, announced in June and launched in August, allows certain young illegal immigrants to apply for two-year renewable work permits without the fear of deportation. Up to 1.7 million people are eligible to apply. The majority of them were born in Mexico or Central America.

Those applying are being asked to provide as much evidence as reasonably possible that they have lived in the United States for the last five years. Transcript requests are a popular source of that evidence.

Many school districts nationwide have been overwhelmed by the number of transcript requests. In response, the Los Angeles Unified School District, for example, created an online application form for records requests last month. Between Sept. 18, when its online system went live, and Oct. 19, the district filled 3,698 deferred action requests, said Gayle Pollard-Terry, district spokeswoman. The district had 158 requests pending as of Oct. 19.

Vinson said she expected a rush of transcript requests in August, but it still was challenging because it coincided with the start of school, a typically chaotic time.

“I had to come in on weekends,” she said. “I had a couple of women from the (English as a Second Language) office come in and help with some of it, that initial influx. After that I’ve pretty much taken care of it by myself.”

Har-Ber High School, Rogers High School and Heritage High School reported similar surges in transcript requests this school year. Hispanic students make up more than 40 percent of enrollment in both the Springdale and Rogers school districts.

The Rogers School District has filled about 350 transcript requests related to deferred action, according to numbers provided by registrars at the two high schools. Rogers High School accounted for 245 of those requests.

“I have approximately 20 more that I am not sure if they were for the deferred action or something else,” Peggie Bien, registrar at Rogers High, said in an email.

The number of deferred action-related transcript requests have been low at Fayetteville High School, said Julie Domer, registrar.

Bentonville High School’s registrar didn’t return several phones calls seeking comment.

At A Glance

Deferred Action

Requirements to be considered for deferred action include:

If an individual came to the United States before turning 16.

If an individual has lived in the United States since June 15, 2007.

If an individual was under 31 as of June 15, 2012.

If an individual entered without inspection before June 15, or if lawful immigration status expired as of that day.

If an individual is currently in school, has graduated or obtained a certificate of completion from high school; has obtained a GED; or if individual is an honorably discharged veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard or Armed Forces.

If an individual has not been convicted of a felony, significant misdemeanor or three or more misdemeanors and does not otherwise pose a threat.

If an individual was present in the United States on June 15 and at the time of request for consideration of deferred action.

Source: whitehouse.gov

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