The DACA Program: Past, Present, and Future

DACA stands for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. DACA is a special program in the United States. DACA began in 2012 under the Barack Obama administration. It was meant to help young individuals who came to the United States when they were children but did not have legal status to stay in the United States. To qualify for DACA, the young individuals had to meet certain rules, such as having arrived in the United States before they turned 16 and having lived in the United States since 2007. If they were accepted into DACA, they could stay in the United States without worrying about getting deported, and they could also work legally.
DACA has had a lot of issues over the years. In 2017, the Trump administration announced plans to end DACA, however, ultimately, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in June of 2020 that the attempt to terminate DACA was improperly executed, allowing the program to continue. However, this decision did not guarantee its long-term stability.
New DACA petitions are not being accepted as of today. This is a result of the evolving legal and political environment surrounding DACA. There have been controversies over the viewpoint about DACA. Some people support it on the grounds of fairness to young individuals who had grown up in the United States without any choice in their arrival, while others oppose it, citing concerns about allowing individuals lacking proper documentation to remain. While the program continues to protect those who are already enrolled, the ability for new individuals to apply and seek DACA protection has been put on hold.
On September 13, 2023, A federal judge in the Southern District of Texas ruled that DACA was unlawful. Under the order, new DACA applications remain prohibited and cannot be processed. However, those individuals who possessed DACA status as of July 16, 2021, or whose DACA has expired for less than one year can still submit renewal applications.
What happens next for DACA depends on what lawmakers do in the future. There are many ideas on the table to help Dreamers. Some Congressional representatives want to pass a law that would permit Dreamers to become U.S. citizens. Others only want to find a way to make DACA more permanent.
Tanner Law Offices dedicates our efforts to monitoring any updates to the DACA policy. Our primary objective is to ensure that we promptly deliver the latest information to our clients as soon as it becomes available. The attorneys at Tanner Law Offices can help you navigate the immigration process or provide further information if needed. Please contact our office at (717) 731-8114 to schedule a consultation to discuss your case.