Indiana approves bill to allow DACA recipients to obtain professional licenses News
Indiana approves bill to allow DACA recipients to obtain professional licenses

Indiana’s House approved a bill [SB 419 materials] Wednesday that lifts prohibitions that kept those previously protected under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) [JURIST news archive] program from obtaining professional licenses for dozens of occupations including cosmetology and nursing.

The bill now awaits the signature of Governor Eric Holcomb [official website] who recently expressed his support [FOX59 report] for the bill.

In addition to the 690,000 “dreamers” whose fate remains uncertain after Congress failed to enact bills to protect their status in response to the Trump administration’s decision to end DACA [JURIST report], immigrants from Haiti, Central America and Sudan are also in threat of losing their protected statuses over the next 18 months.

Those who are protected under DACA await further federal legislation concerning their fate. While no official moves have been made, President Donald Trump recently said he was open to a short-term DACA deal [Politico report] that includes bargaining protections for dreamers for funding of the proposed boarder wall, a centerpiece of his 2016 campaign.

THIS DAY @ LAW

First impeachment trial began in US Senate

On December 17, 1798, the US Senate began its first impeachment trial. Senator William Blount of Tennessee, a land speculator, was accused of plotting with England to wrest control of Florida from Spain. The Senate ultimately dismissed the charges for lack of jurisdiction—and, perhaps incidentally, lack of Blount, who had gone to Tennessee and had refused to return to the Senate for trial. Read more on the trial of William Blount.

Simon Bolivar dies

On December 17, 1830, South American revolutionary Simon Bolivar died in Colombia. During his lifetime, Bolivar led successful revolutions against Spanish colonial rule throughout South America. His efforts led to the independence of the modern-day nations of Colombia, Peru, Venezuela, Panama, Ecuador and Bolivia, a nation named in his honor.