New federal changes for DACA
- New DACA applicants can apply but processing will on hold
- Current recipients should renew before deadline
On July 16, U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen declared that the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, also known as DACA, was illegal. This left new and returning DACA applicants in a place of confusion as to what this means for their status.
Under the ruling, current DACA recipients maintain their status and they should not miss their renewal date because it would change their status to a new applicant.
Gabriela Garcia, the Department of Justice accredited representative with the Coalition for Human Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles, said DACA recipients are encouraged to renew 150 days before it expires.
For now, new DACA applications will not be processed. However, people can still apply and their applications will be held by the United States Citizenship Immigration Services until there is a change in the law, according to Garcia.
CHIRLA provides immigration services to Humboldt County by offering some free legal services to immigrant community members, students and faculty. CHIRLA helps with initial and renewal DACA paperwork, family petitions, legal resident process, and other legal advice.
“We want to ensure that people continue to reach out if they hear something that might not be 100% true, that they schedule a consultation with one of us so we can clarify any questions they might have,” Garcia said.
CHIRLA is still providing online services to Humboldt through online appointments. Community members can call (213) 201-3797 to schedule a consultation. Students can call the HSU EOP office at (707) 826-4781 to make an appointment.
