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DACA

The 10th Anniversary of DACA

The 10th anniversary of DACA, a government program created to protect the rights of innocent children and their fight to become United States citizens, will be commemorated in the summer of 2022. The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program was launched during the Obama administration in 2012 to protect young undocumented immigrants from deportation. The children were unlawfully and unknowingly brought to the U.S. and now have no pathway to legal status. Program recipients are often called Dreamers, to reflect their American Dream.

DACA is a politically popular program that protects around 800,000 people and gives young undocumented immigrants:

  1. protection from deportation and
  2. a work permit

The DACA program requires that the DACA status and work permit be renewed every two years.

10th Anniversary of DACA

  • June 15
    DACA (the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) program was announced by President Barack Obama on June 15, 2012.
  • August 15
    U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) began accepting applications for the DACA program on August 15, 2012.

Important DACA Decisions

  • In 2017, President Donald Trump tried to rescind the DACA program during budget negotiations.
  • In December 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the DACA initiative in a narrow 5-4 ruling.

  • In July 2021, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) assigned more immigration officers to relieve the DACA backlog and improve processing wait times.

Who Qualifies for DACA?

Under normal circumstances, the criteria for seeking DACA protections revolve around the applicant’s age and physical location on certain dates. To be eligible for DACA protection, a potential recipient must have been:

  • Younger than 16 years old when they were first brought to the U.S.
  • Younger than 31 years old on June 15th, 2012
  • A non-legal resident in the U.S. prior to June 15th, 2012
  • Living in the U.S. on a permanent basis since at least January 1st, 2010

Do You Need DACA Protection?

An experienced DACA lawyer can explain the new policy developments around U.S. immigration laws and how they might affect your and your family’s situation. Knowledge of the legal system is a powerful tool to protect people from deportation. To discuss your situation, call 630-912-0322 to schedule a consultation with one of our experienced DACA attorneys today.

Godoy Law Office serves the entire Chicago, Illinois area including DuPage, Cook, Kane, Will and Lake Counties.

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