daca

Daca refers to Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, a United States immigration policy announced by the Department of Homeland Security in 2012 under President Barack Obama. The program offers temporary relief from deportation and work authorization to certain undocumented people who arrived in the United States as children. DACA does not provide lawful status or a path to citizenship.

To be eligible, individuals must have arrived before age 16, resided in the United States since June 15, 2007, and been under 31 on June 15, 2012. They must be in school or have graduated (or be an honorably discharged veteran) and not have disqualifying criminal convictions or security concerns. Applicants file Form I-821D (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) and Form I-765 (Employment Authorization) with supporting documents and a background check.

Benefits include a renewable two-year period of deferred action from deportation and work authorization. DACA recipients are protected from removal for the duration but do not obtain permanent status or citizenship, and eligibility can be affected by policy changes or court rulings.

DACA has faced legal and political challenges. In 2017 the Trump administration sought to end the program, and the policy was challenged in court. In 2020 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the termination of DACA was unlawful for failure to follow proper rulemaking, leaving DACA in place while further actions were considered. As of mid-2024, DACA remains in effect for eligible individuals, though its future depends on legislation and ongoing litigation.

Active recipients are counted in the hundreds of thousands. The program has significantly influenced debates over immigration policy and the status of young undocumented people known as Dreamers.