5 things you need to know about USCIS & DACA Renewal!

Today U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it would resume accepting DACA renewal applications beginning January 13, 2018. This policy is in response to the January 9 court-ordered injunction that ordered the Trump Administration to accept DACA renewals. Until further notice, USCIS will accept DACA renewal applications. This is another victory on the path to winning a permanent solution for millions of immigrant youth, which is the Dream Act by January 19th. We will be updating you with more information as it becomes available, but here are our top 5 things to know:

1. USCIS is now accepting certain DACA renewal applications. If your DACA expired on or after September 5, 2016, you may send USCIS DACA renewal applications. This means you must fill out the latest versions of Form I-821D, Form I-765 Application for Employment Authorization, and Form I-765WS Worksheet. If your DACA expired before September 5, 2016, you must reapply through an initial application, not renew. Everyone must include the date your DACA expired or will expire on Part 1 of the Form I-821D.
2. USCIS will not accept any first-time DACA applications. No new or first-time DACA applications will be accepted by USCIS. If you are eligible for DACA now but never applied, this announcement does not apply to you.
3. Requests for advance parole from DACA recipients will not be accepted. USCIS will not accept or approve any advance parole requests. We recommend that you do not leave the country, even if you have been approved for advance parole in the past.
4. We do not know how long USCIS will continue to accept DACA renewals. The Trump Administration stated that it plans to “vigorously” challenge the district court’s decision. This means that the window of time available for sending in your DACA renewal is uncertain. We recommend that if you fulfill the requirements outlined above, that you assess whether to apply immediately.
5. Our fight to pass the Dream Act by January 19 continues! This is a testament to the work that undocumented youth have led to fight back against Trump’s decision to end DACA on September 5th. However, we can’t keep living our lives in chaos and at the whim of a racist administration. Our goal is clear: win the Dream Act by January 19th. Not all of us are protected by DACA, so our community remains at risk of detention and deportation until we win a permanent solution. Text DreamActNow to 877877 to learn how you can join us in pressuring Congress to stand on the right side of history and pass the Dream Act by January 19th!