Dreamer Applications (also known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) have been in the news a lot lately, with President Trump’s administration talking about ending the program, but now also claiming they will preserve the close to 800,000 youth currently protected by the program in the United States.
If you currently hold DACA you need to act right now to renew it and make sure that you are stay within the program. If you are someone who was trying to get into the program, you should call an immigration lawyer immediately to find out what other avenues are open to you.
HERE IS WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT DACA
- NO NEW APPLICATIONS WILL BE LOOKED AT:
USCICS is no longer accepting any NEW DACA applications. They will adjudicate initial requests for DACA that were accepted by Sept. 5, 2017. - RENEWALS WILL ONLY BE LOOKED AT UNTIL OCTOBER 5th:
They are only adjudicating DACA renewal requests received by Oct. 5, 2017, from current beneficiaries whose benefits will expire between Sept. 5, 2017 and March 5, 2018. The CIS fee is $495. - ADVANCE PAROLE FOR TRAVEL ABROAD NO LONGER AN OPTION:
This includes pending applications, this has been halted completely. If fees have been paid, the Department of Homeland Security will apparently offer a refund. - RENEWALS EXPIRING BETWEEN NOW AND MARCH 5th MUST BE SUBMITTED by OCTOBER 5th:
This is important. Trump’s administration is talking about protecting those that already have their DACA in place, so make sure that you get yours renewed ASAP before the deadline. That is only two weeks to submit a renewal form, even if it’s not quite due yet. If you have a good immigration lawyer, get them to help you with the process, as there will not be do-overs in the near future if there are any errors made in the paperwork.
Remember: don’t panic. It’s best to talk to a professional when situations like this arise. There is often a route to staying in the country legally that someone who knows immigration law well would be able to advise. But if you are an eligible Dreamer now: renew right away.
DON’T WAIT AND LOSE YOUR PROTECTED STATUS.
