WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Trump administration today issued a memo indicating that it is changing the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy, no longer accepting new applications and only allowing existing DACA recipients to renew their protections for one year.
The memo comes less than two weeks after a federal court judge in Maryland ordered the administration to begin accepting new DACA applications in accordance with the June Supreme Court ruling that the Trump administration’s 2017 rescission of DACA was invalid.
In addition to declining to accept new applications, the changes would also put current DACA recipients in a costly, uncertain year-to-year renewal cycle. The memo indicated that there may be a future rescission of DACA altogether.
“By responding to the Supreme Court’s DACA ruling by turning away new applicants and limiting renewal terms for current recipients, the Trump administration is exacerbating the uncertainty faced by hundreds of thousands of Dreamers — including an estimated 29,000 front-line medical professionals and numerous other essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic — after years in limbo,” said Ali Noorani, President and CEO of the National Immigration Forum. “Despite nearly three-fourths of Americans supporting a permanent legislative solution for DACA recipients, Congress has yet to act while the administration continues to jeopardize their futures.
“In setting the stage for a potential DACA recission in the future, this memo is another reminder of the need for a permanent legislative solution that solidifies the contributions of Dreamers and allows them to continue living in the communities they consider home without fear of deportation. It’s what Americans want, and it’s what our values call for.”