DACA Recipients Face Renewed Uncertainty as Legal Challenges and Trump’s Return Loom

The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program could be at risk from ongoing court battles and the policies of the incoming administration.

Approximately 535,000 current DACA recipients are bracing for potential changes as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office again.
A years-long legal challenge to DACA’s legality, led by Texas and other Republican states, could result in the program being declared illegal, with a decision potentially heading to the Supreme Court.
Trump’s previous attempts to rescind DACA were blocked by the Supreme Court in 2020, but his administration is expected to take a harder stance on immigration policies this term.
The Biden administration has appealed a 2021 ruling that deemed DACA illegal, and it is taking steps to expedite permit renewals for current recipients as the legal battle continues.
Advocates and recipients are preparing for possible deportations, family separations, and mass demonstrations, while urging the Biden administration to use remaining time to protect vulnerable immigrants.