Overview

• The Justice Department proposed allowing USCIS to accept new and renewal DACA applications across the country for the first time in four years.
• Under the plan, applicants living in Texas could file for DACA but would be denied work authorization under a 5th Circuit directive.
• Lawyers for DACA recipients urged a short wind-down to let Texas residents keep work permits for one more renewal period.
• No operational change occurs until the court rules, with further filings due in October and advocates advising preparation but caution against filing early or falling for scams.
• About 533,000 people currently hold DACA, an estimated 1.1 million may be eligible, and recent detentions of recipients have heightened community concerns.