On July 16, 2021, Judge Andrew Hanen of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas issued a decision saying that DACA was not lawfully enacted.  

What this means right now: 

∙ USCIS will continue to accept and can grant DACA RENEWALS. 

∙ USCIS will continue to accept, but cannot approve any INITIAL (first time) DACA applications. o Any initial DACA applications that are currently pending will be “frozen” until further notice. 

Current DACA Recipients 

∙ If you currently have DACA, this decision does not affect your DACA status or your ability to renew your  DACA for now. 

Advance Parole 

∙ USCIS announced on July 19, 2021 that current DACA holders may still apply for and travel on Advance  Parole subject to the same conditions as before Judge Hanen’s order. 

∙ If you are thinking about traveling on Advance Parole, we recommend you consult with a trusted  immigration attorney beforehand. 

Previous DACA recipients whose DACA has expired 

∙ If your DACA is currently expired, you can still apply to renew as long as you still qualify for DACA. If your  DACA has been expired for over a year, you have to prove that you meet all of the requirements for DACA  as if you are applying for the first time. Please email [email protected] for more information.

New DACA applicants who have submitted their applications but have not yet been approved  

∙ USCIS will not process any applications that are currently pending. This means that USCIS will neither grant nor deny any currently pending DACA applications at this time. 

∙ Even if you have already mailed your DACA, received receipt notices, and/or have gone to your biometrics appointment, your application will still be “frozen” until further notice. 

New DACA applicants who have not yet submitted their applications 

∙ New DACA applicants who are currently working on preparing their applications can continue to do so.  However, if you choose to submit your DACA application to USCIS, there is no guarantee that the application will ever be granted. You also risk losing the $495 filing fee and revealing your personal information to the government. 

∙ We recommend talking to a trusted immigration attorney before submitting an initial DACA application. 

If you need help renewing your DACA, please fill out the following form. If you have questions, please email [email protected].