DACA Updates – What to Know

Over the past few years, a lot of changes have been made regarding the DACA program. Recently, President Joseph R. Biden has passed an executive order both re-instating and strengthening the program. So what is DACA? Why have there been so many changes? And what is the current status of the program? Read on to learn a brief history of the DACA program and where we are today. Additionally, you can find more information about DACA here.

What Is DACA?

DACA, which stands for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, was created in 2012 to provide qualified individuals who were brought to the United States illegally as children with temporary protection from deportation.

What Changes Have Been Made to DACA?

A brief overview of DACA is as follows:

• June 12th, 2012
  • The Secretary of Homeland Security announced that certain people who came to the United States as children and met certain criteria could request consideration of deferred action for a period of two years.
• November 20th, 2014
  • The Obama Administration expanded DACA. This included eliminating the age cap that had been included in the requirements and extending application deadlines.
• October 5th, 2017
  • On October 5th, 2017, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services stopped accepting DACA applications. A memo was issued by the Department of Homeland Security, rejecting all pending and future initial requests for DACA. Additionally, the memo limited the benefits of current DACA beneficiaries. For example, they may only receive one-year renewals of their DACA status, rather than the previous two-year extensions.

What Is the Future of DACA?

On January 20, 2021, President Joseph Biden passed an executive order which will preserve and fortify the DACA program.

While the future is still uncertain, our firm will be posting updates on any changes that are made and is here to help clients impacted by these changes.

If you have any questions or concerns about the DACA program or any other immigration issues, contact our firm today to speak with a knowledgeable attorney. We are here to act as your advocate and walk you through all of your immigration matters.

Contact Our Firm

Katona & Associates, PLLC is an experienced, highly dedicated New York City immigration law firm located in lower Manhattan. Our firm works with clients in all matters of immigration law, including employment immigration, family immigration, deportation defense, green cards, and citizenship. Contact us to discuss your case and get the help you need.