Current:Home > NewsVirginia Senate approves bill to allow DACA recipients to become police officers-InfoLens
Virginia Senate approves bill to allow DACA recipients to become police officers
View Date:2024-12-23 11:41:24
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Jemny Marquinez has wanted to be a police officer since the age of 12, when she saw officers from her local police department in Virginia handing out Christmas gifts to children.
Marquinez has the right qualifications, including a bachelor’s degree in criminology, but because she is not a U.S. citizen, she cannot work as a police officer in Virginia. A bill approved by the state Senate Tuesday would change that by allowing recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Act, known as DACA, to become eligible for jobs in law enforcement.
Marquinez, 24, has lived in the U.S. since the age of 3, when her family moved here from El Salvador. She told Virginia lawmakers during a hearing last month that she has no memory of El Salvador, and Virginia is the only home she has ever known. She said that if the legislation is signed into law, she would wear a police badge with “gratitude, honor and respect.”
“Being an American isn’t just about being born in the United States,” Marquinez said, but also “loving the flag and what it stands for.”
“My only intentions are to serve my community and give back,” she said.
DACA provides protections against against deportation for people who arrived in the U.S. before the age of 16 and who have lived in the U.S. continuously since at least 2007. There are currently about 600,000 recipients in the U.S. DACA recipients are eligible for work authorization in the U.S., but cannot receive amnesty and don’t have a path to citizenship.
Several other states, including California and Illinois, have already approved legislation to allow noncitizens who are authorized to work in the U.S. to become police officers.
Sen. Jeremy McPike, the lead sponsor of the Virginia bill, said Marquinez was twice denied a waiver when she applied to become a police officer in Prince William County.
“There are no better recruits than those who grew up in the community and are also bilingual and reflective of our community,” McPike said.
Prince William County Police Chief Peter Newsham said Marquinez has met all of the requirements to become a police officer. While she was in college, she worked as an intern for the police department and now works fulltime as an administrative specialist for the department.
“It would be fundamentally unfair for people who were brought to this country as children and who have lived their lives in such a way that they can meet all the qualifications,” Newsham said — “for them not to be able to do that is an injustice.”
Opponents of the bill who testified before a Senate committee Monday said they believe only U.S. citizens should be allowed to wield the power police have to detain and arrest people.
The bill will now be sent to the House of Delegates.
veryGood! (38269)
Related
- Parts of Southern California under quarantine over oriental fruit fly infestation
- Groundhog Day 2024 marks 10 years since Bill de Blasio dropped Staten Island Chuck
- Why this neurosurgeon chose to stay in his beloved Gaza — and why he left
- Tesla ordered to pay $1.5 million over alleged hazardous waste violations in California
- Ben Foster Files for Divorce From Laura Prepon After 6 Years of Marriage
- Alyssa Milano slams people trolling her son over sports team fundraiser: 'Horrid'
- Woman returns Costco couch after 2 years, tests limits of return policy: I just didn't like it anymore
- New Jersey comes West to kick off Grammy weekend with native sons Jon Bon Jovi and Bruce Springsteen
- Arbitrator upholds 5-year bans of Bad Bunny baseball agency leaders, cuts agent penalty to 3 years
- Christian McCaffrey's mom said they can't afford 'stupidly expensive' Super Bowl suites
Ranking
- Advocates Expect Maryland to Drive Climate Action When Trump Returns to Washington
- Sam Waterston Leaves Law & Order After 30 Years as Scandal Alum Joins Cast
- Arkansas police chief accused of beating, stranding suspect in rural area, faces kidnapping charge
- Embassy of Japan confirms Swift can 'wow Japanese audiences' and make Super Bowl
- Kentucky gets early signature win at Champions Classic against Duke | Opinion
- Stock market today: Asian shares mostly rise after Wall Street rebound led by tech stocks
- Rep. Jim Jordan subpoenas Fulton County D.A. Fani Willis over use of federal funds
- This week on Sunday Morning (February 4)
Recommendation
-
It's Red Cup Day at Starbucks: Here's how to get your holiday cup and cash in on deals
-
How accurate are Punxsutawney Phil's Groundhog Day predictions?
-
Yankees in Mexico City: 'Historic' series vs. Diablos Rojos scheduled for spring training
-
Shop Amazon’s Epic Baby Sale & Stock Up on Highly-Rated Essentials from Medela, Dr. Brown's & More
-
Eva Longoria Shares She and Her Family Have Moved Out of the United States
-
Fani Willis acknowledges a ‘personal relationship’ with prosecutor she hired in Trump’s Georgia case
-
Dave Ramsey, a 22-year-old named Emma and what not to say to parents
-
What are Taylor and Elon doing *now*, and why is Elmo here? Find out in the quiz