Resumen de South Africa's influential immigration system

Terri Baker Ombura

• Addressing undocumented childhood arrivals is a global issue, not one confined to the United States. Similarly, South Africa similarly faces families seeking economic and political refuge where children are brought over the border, often unknowingly, and find themselves undocumented. These children are left vulnerable to uncertainty in accessing work and education, as well as the risk of deportation to a country unfamiliar to their lived experience. The US currently relies on DACA as a temporary solution, yet it struggles to find a durable and sustainable alternative. South Africa, by contrast, can be a guide to addressing undocumented childhood arrivals in the US with its pathways to permanent residency. This comparison indicates that elements of South Africa’s immigration system could inform US policy reforms aimed at providing relief to DACA recipients.