DACA HAS BEEN CANCELLED BY TRUMP – 6 Things You Need to Know
1) YOUR CURRENT DACA IS VALID UNTIL IT EXPIRES
DACA and work permits (Employment Authorization Documents) based on DACA are valid until they expire, or unless you violate the terms of your DACA grant.
To determine the expiration date of your DACA and employment authorization look at the bottom of your employment authorization document (EAD) or on your I-797 Approval Notice from United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Check your eligibility.
2) EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY: FIRST-TIME DACA APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED
Any first-time applications for DACA and work authorization that are currently pending with USCIS will be adjudicated on a case-by-case basis as before, and some may still be approved. No first-time applications for DACA will be accepted or processed after September 5, 2017. However we are hopeful that Congress will take action to provide a path to status for those who would have otherwise qualified for DACA. See point 5 below. Check your eligibility.
3) SOME DACA RENEWAL APPLICATIONS MAY STILL BE ACCEPTED.
If you have a DACA-based work permit (Employment Authorization Document/EAD) that expires between September, 5 2017 and March, 5 2018 – your application to renew your DACA must be RECEIVED by USCIS by October 5, 2017.
If USCIS does not RECEIVE your application by October 5, 2017, your application will be rejected and you will not be able to renew. You should prepare your application and file immediately if you are eligible, and make sure that it is completed, signed, and in the mail with all supporting documents before October 5, 2017. We recommend completing and mailing these applications ASAP.
If your application to renew your DACA and EAD is currently pending with USCIS, then it will be adjudicated in the same way as before this announcement.
If your DACA-based EAD expired before September 5, 2017 and you have not yet filed for renewal, or it expires after March 5, 2018, there is no process for renewing your DACA and EAD at this time. However we are hopeful that Congress will take action to provide a path to status for those who would have otherwise qualified for DACA. See point 5 below. Check your eligibility.
4) PERMISSION TO TRAVEL ABROAD WILL NO LONGER BE APPROVED
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will no longer allow DACA recipients to travel outside the United States through advanced parole. No advanced parole applications for DACA recipients will be accepted and any pending applications for advanced parole will be cancelled, with fees returned to the applicants.
If you are a DACA recipient currently holding an approved advanced parole application, we recommend you seek legal advice from a licensed immigration attorney before you travel outside the United States. Check your eligibility.
5) WHAT CONGRESS CAN DO
There are several bills in Congress that may provide more permanent fixes for your immigration situation, and Road to Status will be following those and advocating to members of Congress for passage of those fixes, but until Congress acts, there is no renewal of your DACA or EAD if it expired before September 5, 2017 or expires after March 5, 2018.
Here is a link to USCIS’s FAQ page regarding these changes: https://www.dhs.gov/news/2017/09/05/frequently-asked-questions-rescission-deferred-action-childhood-arrivals-daca
Here is a link to a Road to Status partner FWD.US regarding Congressional advocacy and how you can help: https://dreamers.fwd.us/
6) ROAD TO STATUS IS HERE TO HELP
Through our easy-to-use software, you can accurately prepare your DACA renewal application. And if you get stuck along the way, have a question, or want to connect with one of our network-partner attorneys – for an affordable consultation or review of your application – we’re here for you!
Road to Status exists to help ease the immigration application process because immigration forms and fees can be complicated even for the most straightforward of situations. When times are difficult, as they are now, we want to help get as many people who are eligible for immigration benefits on the path to getting those benefits.
USCIS currently shows that from August through December 2017, over 200,000 individuals are set to have their DACA/EADs expire. Of these individuals, 55,000+ have already submitted requests for renewal of their DACA to USCIS. Check your eligibility.
Is your DACA one of those that needs to be renewed? Click here, we’re here to help!