A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to fully restore the DACA program. This means that the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service would again start approving applications from people applying for the first time. Currently, the USCIS is only approving extension requests and applications from individuals who were previously granted DACA. The judge said this this decision will not take effect for 20 days, which gives the government an opportunity to file an appeal.
Despite this decision, a federal judge in Texas will soon hear arguments on the State’s lawsuit asking for the administration to end the program altogether. The federal judge in the case in Texas is on record as hostile to the DACA program and could potentially order the Trump administration to shut down DACA. This would mean that new applicants and those seeking an extension would both be unable to obtain DACA or work authorization.
The DACA program has been in jeopardy since President Trump was inaugurated. However, as stated above, DACA benefits are still available for many people. Speak with an experienced immigration attorney today and ask if you are eligible to apply. For those of you who have DACA benefits that will be expiring, be sure to apply for an extension before it is too late!
