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Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals
(DACA) is a United States immigration policy that allows some individuals
with unlawful presence in the United States after being brought to the
country as children prior to 2012 when the bill was first introduced by
then President Barack Obama, to receive a renewable two-year that protects
the individual from Deportation.
What Is DACA
On June 15, 2012, the secretary of
Homeland Security announced that certain people who came to the United
States as children and meet several guidelines may request consideration of
deferred action for a period of two years, subject to renewal. They are also
eligible for work authorization. Deferred action is a use of prosecutorial
discretion to defer removal action against an individual for a certain
period of time. Deferred action does not provide lawful status.
Guidelines
You may request DACA if you:
1. Were under the age of 31 as of June 15, 2012;
2. Came to the United States before reaching your 16th birthday;
3. Have continuously resided in the United States since
June 15, 2007, up to the present time;
4. Were physically present in the United States on June
15, 2012, and at the time of making your request for consideration of
deferred action with USCIS;
5. Had no lawful status on June 15, 2012, meaning that:
o You never had a lawful immigration status on or
before June 15, 2012, or
o Any lawful immigration status or parole that you
obtained prior to June 15, 2012, had expired as of June 15, 2012;
6. Are currently in school, have graduated or obtained a
certificate of completion from high school, have obtained a general
education development (GED) certificate, or are an honorably discharged
veteran of the Coast Guard or Armed Forces of the United States; and
7. Have not been convicted of a felony, significant
misdemeanor, or three or more other misdemeanors, and do not otherwise pose
a threat to national security or public safety.
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