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DACA's 'birth'
On June 5, 2012, the secretary of Homeland Security announced that certain undocumented immigrants who came to the United States as children and met a series of strict guidelines would be able to apply for a 'permit' to stay in the United States without deportation for two years that could be renewed. DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) meant that these individuals could get a job and support their families. This meant safety and security for those living in fear of deportation. -
Policy for reviewing DACA requests
The USCIS began the process by which they would review DACA requests and grant work authorization, all on a case by case basis. -
Expansion of yearly DACA EADs and the amount of participants?
Nearly two years after DACA was created, the Obama administration announced a needed expansion of DACA and to issue 3-year EADs. This caused a lot of trouble and controversy within the state, and the Obama Administration was limited to only issuing 3-year EADs to current immigrants, without the expansion of DACA. (In 2015) -
Bridge Act
The Bridge Act, originally introduced in the Senate, this measure would give the force of law to the deportation protections established by DACA. Meaning that the DACA recipients could not be deported, as long as they did not commit a serious crime (or lived within the boundaries of DACA.) -
Where are we now?
The next steps for expiration and the projected diminishing of the DACA program will begin in January/February when most of the 3-year EADs will expire, making it more efficient to end the program. Of course, this can only happen if Congress makes a decision supporting this idea to focus on the wall. -
Trump's first day in office
On Trump's first day in office, his plans to end DACA were implied, as he had shared his thoughts while campaigning. His original plan was to end DACA on his first day in office. -
Update on DACA applicants/participants
Five years after the DACA program was announced and begun, there are more than 800,000 individuals who make up the program currently. Not only does this mean that 800,000 dreamers have applied and are capable of meeting the strict standards, the money received from the high fees of the program are also benefiting the U.S. government. -
Petition to Bridge Act
Mike Coffman, a House Republican from Colorado, announced that he was going to start a petition to prompt an immediate vote on the Bridge Act. Colorado is home to 17,000 DACA recipients. -
Trump hands over DACA issue to Congress
Trump was receiving threats of being sued by a group of Republican Attorneys. In order to escape this threat, Donald Trump announce the expiration of DACA would begin in six months, but he also handed this issue over to Congress allowing them to codify the program into law. (Remember, DACA was an Executive Order given while Obama was president.) So, Congress could prevent the ending of DACA. -
DACA participants rushing to renew their DACA permits by next week
Now, some of the DACA recipients are eligible to apply for a renewal that could keep them in this country legally for two more years. But they must apply for that renewal by October 5th (next week.) If one's DACA is expiring between September 5, 2017 and March 5, 2018, they can renew their permits, but they have to do it and get the paperwork into immigration by Oct. 5, 2017.
