Overview
- Justice Department attorneys proposed allowing USCIS to accept both first-time and renewal DACA applications nationwide for the first time in four years.
- Under the plan, applicants living in Texas could file for DACA but would not receive work authorization, reflecting recent appellate rulings.
- Lawyers for DACA recipients urged a limited wind-down so Texas residents could keep work permits for one more renewal period.
- No changes take effect until Judge Hanen issues an order, and advocates advise applicants to prepare documents but wait for official guidance and avoid scams.
- More than 533,000 people are currently enrolled in DACA and roughly 1.1 million may be eligible, a scale that underscores the stakes if the court approves a restart.