DACA/DAPA

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) offer certain immigrants protection from immediate deportation and other benefits. Learn more about these policies, how they affect America, and our work to strengthen them below.

New Data Show More Than Half a Million Immigrants Granted DACA

New Data Show More Than Half a Million Immigrants Granted DACA

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) posted new Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) statistics on Thursday, revealing that over 550,000 individuals have now been granted DACA. The data, which is current through March 2014, indicate that USCIS has accepted nearly 650,000 requests. Over the past six months,… Read More

Virginia Allows DACA Recipients to Pay In-State Tuition

Virginia Allows DACA Recipients to Pay In-State Tuition

Young immigrants in Virginia who receive temporary legal status through the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program now qualify for in-state tuition at state colleges and universities. Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring made the announcement Tuesday at the Northern Virginia Community College. “We should welcome these smart,… Read More

USCIS Releases Information About DACA Renewal Process

USCIS Releases Information About DACA Renewal Process

Yesterday, USCIS posted an update shedding light on what the renewal process for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program will look like. Though the notice is preliminary and subject to change, it offers over half a million DACA recipients vital information about what they should do… Read More

What Does More Discretion and Less Deportation Look Like?

What Does More Discretion and Less Deportation Look Like?

Following President Obama’s announcement that administration officials will review enforcement policies to see how to make them more humane, NBC News reports that the Congressional Hispanic Caucus has compiled a list of recommendations for Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson on what actions could be taken to slow… Read More

Petition Challenges DHS on Enforcement Priorities

Petition Challenges DHS on Enforcement Priorities

Last week, the National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON) along with six individuals, submitted a formal request to the Department of Homeland Security asking the agency to temporarily suspend the deportation of low-priority undocumented workers and their families and grant them “deferred… Read More

What Does the Anti-Immigrant Movement Have Planned for the States in 2014?

What Does the Anti-Immigrant Movement Have Planned for the States in 2014?

As Congress continues their protracted debate on immigration reform, state governments are taking the lead on moving positive measures forward. Thus, anti-immigrant groups like the Federation for American Immigration Reform and Numbers USA  will be on the defensive in 2014, devoting time and resources towards preventing pro-immigrant state policies from taking root. They are certain to keep their eyes on the federal debate this year however, they have made public their intent to help repeal driver’s licenses for undocumented immigrants in Oregon, organize against the Maryland TRUST Act (they were behind efforts to stop Maryland’s DREAM Act in 2012), and work where they can to block Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients from accessing driver’s licenses and higher education. Read More

Why Is There a Disparity in DACA Application Rates Among Different Nationalities?

Why Is There a Disparity in DACA Application Rates Among Different Nationalities?

A year and a half in, nationals from nearly every country have applied for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), President Obama’s deportation reprieve program for certain undocumented immigrants brought to this country as children. Despite this diverse participation, nationals of some countries are dramatically underrepresented… Read More

Top Five Immigration Stories from 2013

Top Five Immigration Stories from 2013

From the beginning, it was clear that 2013 was going to be a big year for immigration. The results of the 2012 Presidential Election were widely interpreted as a rebuke to Mitt Romney’s enforcement-only “self-deportation” policy, and President Obama’s huge victory among minority communities was seen as a… Read More

Senate Confirms Mayorkas as DHS Deputy Secretary

Senate Confirms Mayorkas as DHS Deputy Secretary

Following the confirmation of Jeh Johnson as Department of Homeland Security (DHS) secretary on Monday, the Senate approved Alejandro Mayorkas as DHS deputy secretary on Friday by 54 to 41. Mayorkas has served as the director of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services since 2009. During his… Read More

Will New USCIS Memos Confuse House Judiciary Committee Again?

Will New USCIS Memos Confuse House Judiciary Committee Again?

One of the significant lessons of 2013 is that good immigration policy matters to the American public.  It’s unfortunate, then, that the House Judiciary Committee is choosing to end its year focusing not on immigration reform, but on how best to take the President to task for making use of executive authority. Read More

Make a contribution

Make a direct impact on the lives of immigrants.

logoimg