Press Release Date: September 5, 2017
1. WHY IS DHS PHASING OUT THE DACA PROGRAM?
– Taking into consideration the federal court rulings in ongoing litigation, and the September 4, 2017 letter from the Attorney General, it is clear that program should be terminated. As such, the Acting Secretary of Homeland Security rescinded the June 15, 2012 memorandum establishing the DACA program.
2. WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO CURRENT DACA HOLDERS?
– Current DACA recipients will be permitted to retain both the period of deferred action and their employment authorization documents (EADs) until they expire, unless terminated or revoked. DACA benefits are generally valid for two years from the date of issuance.
3. WHAT HAPPENS TO INDIVIDUALS WHO CURRENTLY HAVE AN INITIAL DACA REQUEST PENDING?
– Due to the anticipated costs and administrative burdens associated with rejecting all pending initial requests, USCIS will adjudicate – on an individual, case-by-case basis -all properly filed DACA initial requests and associated applications for EADs that have been accepted as of September 5, 2017.
4. WHAT HAPPENS TO INDIVIDUALS WHO CURRENTLY HAVE A REQUEST FOR RENEWAL OF DACA PENDING?
– Due to the anticipated costs and administrative burdens associated with rejecting all pending renewal requests, USCIS adjudicate – on an individual, case-by-case basis- properly filed pending DACA renewal requests and associated applications for Employment Authorization Documents from current beneficiaries that have been accepted as of September 5, 2017, and from current beneficiaries whose benefits will expire between September 5, 2017 and March 5, 2018 that have been accepted as of October 5, 2017. USCIS will reject all new requests to renew DACA and associated applications for EAD filed after October 5, 2017.
5- IS THERE STILL TIME FOR CURRENT DACA RECIPIENTS TO FILE A REQUEST TO RENEW THEIR DACA?
– USCIS will only accept renewal requests and associated applications for EADs for the class of individuals described above in the the time period described above.
6. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN AN INDIVIDUAL’S DACA BENEFITS EXPIRE OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT TWO YEARS? WILL INDIVIDUALS WITH EXPIRED DACA BE CONSIDERED ILLEGALLY PRESENT IN THE COUNTRY?
– Current law does not grant any legal status for the class of individuals who are current recipients of DACA. Recipients of DACA are currently unlawfully present in the United States with their removal deferred. When their period of deferred action expires or terminated, their removal will no longer be deferred and they will no longer be eligible for lawful employment.
Only US Congress has the authority to amend the existing immigration laws.
7. ONCE AN INDIVIDUAL’S DACA EXPIRES, WILL THEIR CASE BE REFERRED TO ICE FOR ENFORCEMENT PURPOSE?
– Information provided to USCIS in DACA requests will not be proactively provided to ICE and CBP for the purpose of immigration enforcement proceedings, unless the requester meets the criteria of the issuance of a Notice To Appear or a referral to ICE under the criteria set forth in USCIS’s Notice to Appear guidance. This policy, which may be modified, suspended, or rescinded at any time with out notice, is not intended to, does not, and may not be relied upon to create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable by law by any party in any administrative, civil, or criminal matter.
To be continued