USCIS is issuing a new change to the way they review DACA renewal applications. The agency is now requiring 2 separate payments, one payment for each DACA renewal form and will no longer accept one bundle payment for the forms. That’s according to new guidance by United We Dream.
The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program is the Obama-era program that grants 600,000 “Dreamers” deportation protections and work permits every two years after an application process, background check and a $495 fee.
Sharet Garcia, CEO of “Undocu-Professionals Network” says “the changes which may seem small can delay someone’s DACA renewal” saying it’s making the application much more complicated at a time when the program is in limbo. Garcia also says more changes could soon be ahead, saying USCIS is also considering raising fees.
It comes as DACA recipients and immigration advocates closely monitor the latest legal challenges against the program. The future of the program is awaiting a decision from Judge Andrew Hanen, of the Southern District of Texas. Last summer, Hannen blocked the government from accepting and approving new DACA applications, saying the program was unlawful. Despite that order, current DACA recipients are still allowed to renew their applications while the case is litigated.
Immigration experts say we won’t have a final decision on the legality of DACA any time soon. Immigration lawyer and DACA recipient Luis Cortes, says if Judge Hanen rules to shut down the DACA program declaring it illegal, then it would likely be appealed to the 5th Circuit Court by the Biden administration and then eventually end up at the Supreme Court. Cortes, who defended the DACA program when it went before The Supreme Court in 2019 says the justices “probably won’t hear the case until late 2023 or early 2024.” Meanwhile, Congress appears unlikely to take action and pass a permanent solution.
Garcia says she’s not losing hope this year saying, “as we start a new year, as we get into a new beginning let’s not forget everything we have learned and created already. Let’s be reminded how far we have come. We are not starting at zero and certainly not going into 2023 with nothing.”
